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Teammates Check On Griffin, Learn From Absence

Rowan Kavner

LOS ANGELES - Blake Griffin has been gone but not forgotten by his teammates since his injury absence.

The Clippers wrapped up a 3-1 road trip and have gone 7-3 since Griffin’s been out following surgery for a staph infection in his elbow, but his teammates kept up with him daily and know how important it’ll be to get him back.  

“I keep going back to last season when I got injured,” said Chris Paul. “We need Blake, don’t get it twisted. We need him and need him bad, but what it’s doing is giving everyone a chance to step up a little bit. I think what’s going to happen is when Blake comes back everyone is going to have a little bit more confidence; then we’ll really get rolling.”

It has been similar to the stretch last season, when the Clippers lost Paul and still managed to go 12-6 during that time.

Paul said when he returned, it wasn’t difficult to get acclimated and back to full speed. He believes Griffin will have a similar process when the power forward returns.

“It wasn’t tough, because I was around and I was there and I watched,” Paul said. “You’re trying to find your rhythm, but at the same time, this is a team. We all understand what everybody brings to the table.

“Like I said, we need Blake. We can’t wait to get him back, but until then, we’re going to try to hold it down.”

The Clippers have held it down better than many expected, using smaller lineups and stellar performances from Paul and DeAndre Jordan to thrive and keep pace in the West.

Paul said the players get updates on Griffin every day, and they all know how hard Griffin’s worked to return.

“I think we’re going to have to protect him from himself,” Paul said. “I keep telling him whenever I see him, I’ll be like, ‘Hey, come back when you’re ready; and he will.”

Paul said Griffin’s “their guy,” and that sometimes elite athletes have to be protected from themselves. He said if it were up to Griffin, he’d go out on the court and play with one arm.

The updates on Griffin have been positive as he ramps up his rehab, but Griffin’s teammates know they’d rather have him at full strength than rushing to get back.

“We all talk to Blake,” said DeAndre Jordan. “We don’t want to force him to hurry up and come back because that wouldn’t be fair to him. We know he’s going to work hard to get back as fast as he can. Whenever he is back, we know he’s going to be ready to go.”

Jamal Crawford also added that players check in on him every day, mostly through texting and group chats.

“We’re all checking in on him,” Crawford said. “He’s feeling good. He gives advice and things like that; he’s been great.”

Head coach Doc Rivers said Griffin’s started running, sweating and shooting. It shouldn’t be long before he’s back in a Clippers uniform. The Clippers hope when that happens, the experience they had without him will benefit them in the long run.

“Whenever Chris came back, he was even better for our second unit,” Jordan said. “That’s going to be the same thing with (Glen) “Big Baby” (Davis) and Spencer (Hawes) and guys like that, who are getting that opportunity to play more minutes with the big fella being down. Whenever he does come back, that second unit’s going to be so much stronger.”