Blake Griffin apologized to the Los Angeles Clippers for punching himself out of competition for the next month or so. The relatively anonymous man the five-time All Star punched presumably receives his public apology soon.
Griffin reportedly struck Matias Testi inside and outside a Toronto restaurant late last week. The player and team equipment staffer he belted vacationed together, posted pictures of one another on social media, and enjoyed a friendship in better times.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and Doc Rivers released a joint statement on the matter:
L.A. Clippers forward Blake Griffin suffered a spiral fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his right hand throwing a punch on Jan. 23 in Toronto.
This conduct has no place in our organization and this incident does not represent who we are as a team. We are conducting a full investigation with assistance from the NBA. At the conclusion of the investigation, appropriate action will be taken.
Griffin received X-rays on Jan. 25th in Los Angeles that revealed the injury and he underwent a procedure on his hand Tuesday morning. The procedure was performed by Dr. Steve Shin. Recovery time from the injury is approximately four to six weeks.
The most troubling statement for Griffin may come from his teammates. Since 2009’s first overall draft pick’s departure from the court because of an unrelated injury, the Los Angeles Clippers recorded 12 wins to just three losses.