Los Angeles Clippers Blog – Page 21 – NBA Blog

Report: Blake Griffin needs minor knee surgery

Clippers forward Blake Griffin is expected to undergo a minor knee surgery that will sideline him through the remainder of the month.

News of the surgery, which could allow for a January return, was first reported by Yahoo Sports.
Griffin played in the Clippers’ 117-110 loss to Washington on Sunday, scoring 26 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists.

— OC Register

Quick Take: The Clippers have proven in the past that they can continue to play well while Blake Griffin is out. Still, it’s unfortunate that they need to go through this again. Hope Griffin recovers soon.

Hassan Whiteside clarifies comments about DeAndre Jordan

Hassan Whiteside added clarification to comments he recently made about Clippers center DeAndre Jordan.

The Miami Heat shot-blocking center took time pregame to clarify that he never meant any disrespect when he said a day earlier of Jordan, “He catches lobs. I shoot jumpers, catch lobs and block shots. I do a lot. He just catches lobs.”

Whiteside stressed Friday his point was that with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick alongside, Jordan had more leeway to focus on his All-NBA-level shot-blocking and rebounding.

“Definitely misconstrued,” Whiteside said in front of his locker. “First, I would never diss another big fella. I’m all for the big guys in the game. I was just saying on the offensive end, our roles are different. Obviously, he’s a top-three rebounder and one of the best defensive players in the game. I didn’t think I had to explain that, but I see I do. Quote me on that.”

— South Florida Sun Sentinel

Quick Take: Whether all in fun or actually serious, a little trash-talking never hurt anybody. It’s part of the game. Especially if there’s some truth to it. Anyway, this whole thing is no big deal. And it’s fun.

Luke Walton reflects on Craig Sager

Whenever Luke Walton turned on a nationally televised NBA game, the Lakers coach did not just tune in to watch a star player or scout an opponent. Walton also wanted to see sideline reporter Craig Sager.

“Part of the fun and entertainment of what we do is seeing Craig in his crazy suits. He was phenomenal at his job,” Walton said. “He brought something every night he was on TV.”

So it was no surprise when the Lakers and the NBA community were in mourning Thursday over the passing of Sager, 65, who had spent the past two years fighting cancer. All NBA teams will observe a moment of silence in Sager’s memory, including when the Lakers (10-18) play the Philadelphia 76ers (6-19) on Friday at Wells Fargo Center.

“I can’t imagine how hard that has got to be, to put on that face and come and do the job that you love knowing that you’re not at your best,” Walton said. “You’re still out there fighting that fight and not letting it beat you. He’s not just staying home all day. He’s out there still living his life as long as he can. It’s incredible. He’s a strong, strong man.”

— OC Register

Clippers reportedly plan to give Chris Paul the longest max contract possible

This may be the last, best chance for the cursed L.A. stepchild to bust through the second round and chase the sort of success they’ve never experienced. More than a year ago, Doc Rivers, the team’s coach and team president, told me that teams who fall short over and over grow stale — and that the Clippers were “on the borderline” of needing a shakeup.

Three of their core four players — Paul, Griffin, and Redick — enter free agency this summer, assuming Paul and Griffin exercise early termination options. Paul and Redick are on the wrong side of the aging curve; Jordan and Griffin, bouncy types who rely to varying degrees on their athleticism, aren’t that far behind…

Steve Ballmer, L.A.’s moneybags owner, has already said he’ll pay the cost. Maxing out Griffin is a no-brainer, and the team expects Paul to demand the full five-year max (or whatever the longest possible deal ends up being in the revised collective bargaining agreement) to stick around, per several league sources. That would take him well past age 35. Gulp. Suitors will line up for Redick.

Rivers was right last fall: teams grow stale. People decide to move on. If the ending is unhappy again, I’d bet on at least one big change in Clipperland. For now, the team is trying to enjoy the journey — and the clean locker-room air.

— ESPN.com

Quick Take: Past letdowns need to be left in the past. When you’re as good as the Clippers, you do what you need to do to keep your core together. The current Clippers squad is as good as any we’ve seen in the Chris Paul era. And as CP3 gets older and slows down a bit, he’s exactly the type of point guard who should be able to adapt and get even more crafty.

Clippers assign Diamond Stone to D-League

The L.A. Clippers have assigned center Diamond Stone to the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA D-League.

Stone has appeared in three games for the Clippers this season.

Stone, the 40th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, played one season at the University of Maryland, where he was named the AP Big Ten Newcomer in 2016. The Milwaukee native averaged 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 35 games (all starts), helping lead the Terrapins to the Sweet Sixteen.

Donald Sterling and NBA settle legal dispute

Donald Sterling and the NBA are no longer entangled in any form other than in history books.

The former owner of the Clippers and the NBA have settled all remaining legal disputes, according to Sterling’s attorney, Bobby Samini.

By settling, any funds that were held in escrow from the sale, indemnifying the NBA from legal action taken by Sterling, can be released.

— OC Register

Chris Paul had Lasik eye surgery this summer

Chris Paul and the Clippers are off to an incredible start this season. And CP3’s shot has been fantastic. Here’s the LA Times with some insight:

When it comes to Paul’s early season shooting numbers — which, even for him, are standing out — the 31-year-old point guard may have an explanation.

“My brother sent me a text the other day saying my percentage is up because of my Lasik eye surgery,” Paul said at the Clippers’ practice facility on Wednesday. “I was laughing, but my doctor did the surgery, who was amazing by the way, his other clients he said their percentages actually went up the next season.”

Paul, who had the surgery this summer, is fitting that unofficial trend through 11 games. He is shooting 47.3% from three-point range, nearly 11 percentage points higher than his career average. He has been the league’s most efficient pull-up jump shooter. In a 32-point win over the Nets on Monday, he made eight of 11 shots and canned four of six three-point attempts.

Chris Paul suffers minor hand injury

No cause for alarm here. Clippers point guard Chris Paul hurt his hand, but it appears there’s nothing to worry about. Here’s the Orange County Register reporting:

Seeing Chris Paul in running shoes and sweatpants before a Clippers practice certainly isn’t good news. And, seeing Paul, the Clippers’ star point guard, standing in running shows and sweats with a hand wrapped, well that means the news is certainly worse.

Luckily for the Clippers, appearances can sometime be deceiving.

While Paul didn’t practice Sunday because of his hand injury, he’s not expected to miss any real time. Paul’s officially being called “day-to-day” with a sprained left thumb, and injury he likely would be able to play with if the Clippers were in the regular season.

“He’ll play in definitely one of the two (remaining preseason games), and that tells you it’s not that serious,” Doc Rivers said.

Clippers waive Dorell Wright and Xavier Munford

The Clippers today waived guard Xavier Munford and forward Dorell Wright.

Munford played in just two games for the Clippers this preseason, scoring four points. A 2016 D-League All-Star, he spent last season with the Bakersfield Jam and the Memphis Grizzlies. In 14 games for the Grizzlies to end the 2015-16 season, Munford averaged 5.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 17.4 minutes.

Wright, appeared in two games for the Clippers in the preseason. The 19th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, has spent 12 seasons in the NBA with Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia and Portland. In 549 career games (222 starts), the Los Angeles native has averages of 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Wright spent last season in the Chinese Basketball Association playing for the Beikong Fly Dragons before signing with the Heat to close the season. In 37 games for the Dragons, he averaged 24.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

The roster now stands at 15 players for the Clippers.

Brice Johnson out with herniated disc

Clippers forward Brice Johnson suffered an acute herniated disc in his lower back in the fourth quarter of the Clippers preseason win over the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 6.

Johnson is out indefinitely and will continue to undergo additional evaluation by the Clippers medical staff.

According to ESPN, “a source told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman that Johnson is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.”