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As reported by ESPN and other sources, Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin was involved in an altercation with one of his team's equipment managers during a road trip in Toronto and is feared to have broken his hand.
According to the sources, Griffin and the equipment staffer got into an argument in a restaurant during the team's trip to Toronto. Griffin hit the man, who then left the restaurant and went outside. Griffin followed him outside and hit him again.
Griffin suffered a suspected fracture in his hand in the incident, sources told ESPN's Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne early Tuesday morning.
The equipment staffer's face was injured, sources told Eaves. Both Griffin and the equipment staffer were sent home after the incident.
Sources told ESPN that the hand injury is expected to keep Griffin out "a matter of weeks, as opposed to days."
The altercation started in a restaurant. It proceeded outside where Griffin hit the equipment staffer multiple times. #Clippers
— Michael Eaves (@michaeleaves) January 26, 2016
The Clippers are 11-3 without Griffin, who was with the Clippers on the road trip and was close to rejoining the team before the hand injury. In Indiana, where the Clippers will play the Pacers on Tuesday night, coach Doc Rivers told reporters that the team would issue a statement before the game.
Griffin has averaged 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists so far this season. With a 28-16 record the Clippers are nestled in the 4th spot in the Western Conference.
Hear commentary from Clippers fans at sister site ClipsNation. Fair warning: it won't be pretty.
Update:
The broken hand is now confirmed.
Blake Griffin has broken his hand. Early timetable is 4-6 weeks, per sources.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) January 26, 2016