Rowan Kavner
PLAYA VISTA, Calif. – Blake Griffin began working on the court Thursday for the first time since his injury and believes a return by the Clippers’ next road trip is more than a possibility.
Griffin said he worked 15 or 20 minutes on the court and didn’t feel sore the next day. As long as there’s no soreness, he’ll continue to ramp up his on-court efforts, but a specific date for his return from a partially torn left quad tendon hasn’t been announced.
The Clippers host the Kings on Saturday and the Rockets on Monday before beginning a five-game trip Thursday in Cleveland.
“I don’t know what game from here on out,” Griffin said. “It’s safe to stay (Saturday)’s not an option, but I wouldn’t rule anything else out.”
He said his leg had been bothering him for about a month, and it kept hurting more and more. During the Lakers game, he realized he couldn’t keep going. He’s not sure the extent of the tear, but he knew it was under the “50 percent” mark after the MRI.
Had it been over that mark, he said he would’ve would’ve needed surgery.
Instead, he’s slowly progressing and ramping up his rehab, sticking with a plan. As long as he’s pain-free, he’ll continue to take his rehab a step further. If he feels pain, he’ll take a step back. He said he’ll see the doctor again Tuesday to get an update.
“It’s a little different, just having to rest and then having to work back into it, but then also knowing it’s going to be sore and kind of knowing what you can push through and what you shouldn’t push through,” Griffin said. “That’s the biggest thing. I don’t want to do too much, but I also want to do as much as I can. It’s a fine line.”
Luckily for the Clippers, they’ve done more than survive without their leading scorer.
After Griffin’s injury on Christmas, the Clippers won nine more games in a row to take their winning streak to 10 games as they prepare for Saturday’s matchup against the Kings.
Griffin said he thought the Clippers’ shorthanded win against the Heat might’ve been the biggest win of the season, and he said the second unit has been “unbelievable,” which will be beneficial when he returns.
“They’ve been a huge, huge reason for our success,” Griffin said. “They’ve been extending leads, they’ve been great. I think the ball movement has been great. Guys are hitting great shots, hitting shots at a high percentage. Our schedule helps, too. All those things combined have been huge for us.”
The Clippers had to play against Miami without both Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, as pneumonia snapped the center’s streak of 360 consecutive games played. Assistant coach Mike Woodson said he believes Jordan is still day-to-day with his illness.
Woodson spoke to the media before Friday’s practice in place of head coach Doc Rivers, who was receiving the Martin Luther King Jr. Brotherhood Award at the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles’ 45th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Brotherhood Breakfast. Woodson said he believes Griffin will hit the ground running whenever he does return.
“I’m sure he’s anxious to get back,” Woodson said. “He’s a big part of what we do. We’ll welcome him back with open arms when he’s ready to play. When that is, I don’t know at this point.”
