Without Blake Griffin, the Detroit Pistons are no match for the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. Detroit probably doesn’t stand much of a chance against Milwaukee even if Griffin plays, but without the forward who averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game season — and was the fulcrum of their offense — the Pistons were utterly overwhelmed in Game 1, 121-86.
We may be seeing that movie again this series because Griffin’s knee pain could keep him out the entire first round, reports Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.Detroit Pistons star Blake Griffin will likely miss the entire first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks because of a left knee injury, sources told Yahoo Sports...
Griffin will be listed as day to day for the remainder of the series, with a league source calling it a “slim chance” he plays this weekend. There’s no structural damage in the left knee, and it’s unclear whether he’ll need some type of minor procedure this offseason. Griffin and team doctors will decide the best course of action when the season concludes.
Griffin was healthy much of the season, playing in 75 games and performing at an All-NBA level. He was the reason the Pistons made the playoffs in the East.
Griffin first sat out with knee issues on March 30 and was in street clothes for three games before returning against Oklahoma City and dropping 45 in a Pistons’ loss April 5. Two nights later, after his knee swelled up, Griffin didn’t look right in a 5-of-18 outing against Charlotte. He barely played against Memphis after that, then sat out the season finale against the Knicks — two games the Pistons had to win, and did, to make the playoffs.
If Griffin misses Game 2, which now appears likely, he will end up with 10 days off between when he last played and Game 3, the first in the playoff series back in Detroit. If Griffin can’t go in that one, it shows just how serious this is, and how much pain he is in.
Without a healthy Griffin, this is going to be a very short playoff series.