Clippers forward Blake Griffin won't make it through the NBA postseason for the second straight year after it was announced Saturday that the power forward suffered an injury to the plantar plate of his right big toe and will not return.
The Clippers said Griffin will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Los Angeles by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Richard Ferkel.
Griffin was injured late in the second quarter of Game 3 Friday night against the Utah Jazz, a game the Clippers eventually won to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series. Game 4 is here on Sunday.
Apparently Griffin was injured after grabbing a defensive rebound and getting tangled up with Utah's Boris Diaw, showing some pain in his foot but trying to play through it.
A few moments later, Griffin raced downcourt and scored on a layup over Rodney Hood.
But when Griffin came down after he scored, he limped back up the court.
The Clippers called a timeout with 3 minutes, 18 seconds left in the second quarter as Griffin slowly walked to the bench.
He then bent over and punched a seat cushion with his right hand before heading to the locker room.
Griffin originally got X-rays Friday night at Vivint Smart Home Arena, and an MRI later revealed how serious his injury was.
Griffin left having scored 11 points and grabbing six rebounds.
During the 2016 first-round playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers, Griffin partially tore his left quadriceps tendon in Game 4 and did not return.
