Things have gone from bad to worse for the Los Angeles Clippers.
The team announced Tuesday that forward Blake Griffin will miss the remainder of the playoffs after aggravating the injury to his left quad tendon Monday night in Game 4.
According to Rowan Kavner of Clippers.com, Griffin “felt a tweak” in his left quad while getting fouled in the third quarter by Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee. An MRI revealed no further structural damage, and the team said he will be ready for the start of training camp next season.
Griffin missed 41 games this season with a partially torn left quad tendon, which he first injured Dec. 25 against the Los Angeles Lakers. In four games against the Trail Blazers, Griffin averaged 15 points and 8.8 rebounds.
To make matters worse, point guard Chris Paul underwent surgery to repair a right hand fracture and is out indefinitely, the team announced. He, too, was injured in the third quarter and will be evaluated in four to six weeks.
Paul’s injury is devastating to a Clippers team that depended on him for his scoring, passing and leadership. He averaged 23.8 points and 7.3 assists in four games against the Trail Blazers.
Coach Doc Rivers was asked how the Clippers will move forward without Griffin and Paul.
“We don’t have to be the best team,” he told reporters, according to ESPN’s Andrew Han. “We just have to be the best team tomorrow. And then we have to figure out how to do it one more time.”
The series is tied 2-2 after Portland’s 98-84 win in Game 4. Game 5 will be played Wednesday at Staples Center.
