SALT LAKE CITY — The LA Clippers lost in the first round of the playoffs last year mainly because Chris Paul and Blake Griffin sat against the Blazers with injuries. So that’s why Friday’s events in Game 3 against the Jazz were more ominous than anything, when Griffin left in the second quarter with a sore big toe.

He suffered the injury after landing funny during a layup attempt, then hobbled toward the locker room. The Clippers announced he will not return to the game.

Injuries are nothing new to Griffin, unfortunately for the Clippers. He played in only 61 regular season games in 2016-17, missing 20 after minor knee surgery in the winter. Last season was almost a complete wash after Griffin missed 45 games due to a hand injury and suspension after an altercation withe a team equipment manager, then aggravated a left quad injury that benched him for the first round of the playoffs.