Blake Griffin expected to return Tuesday from knee surgery

ByABC News
January 23, 2017, 10:31 PM

— -- ATLANTA -- Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers says power forward Blake Griffin will "most likely" return to action Tuesday when the team faces the 76ers in Philadelphia.

Griffin, who had an arthroscopic procedure Dec. 20 to remove loose bodies from his right knee, missed his 18th consecutive game Monday, a 115-105 Clippers win over the Hawks in Atlanta. The Clippers have compiled a 10-8 record while he has been sidelined.

Griffin, who has been traveling with the team on this road trip and got in some work Monday, made his first public comments since the surgery on Saturday in Denver, saying, "I'm as close as you can feel."

He had participated Friday in his first full-contact workout since the operation, matching up with teammates Brice Johnson and Alan Anderson prior to the team's flight to Denver.

"It was good to get some real work in besides just running and shooting," Griffin said Saturday. "Now it's kind of up to them."

Griffin said that if the timetable were up to him, he would already be on the floor. He said he has been lobbying the Clippers staff for weeks.

"I've been putting pressure on them since Dec. 21," Griffin quipped. "It's kind of a team decision."

He added, "This trip -- this is it."

As Griffin rehabilitated the knee in recent weeks, he said his lateral mobility and ability to pivot were the greatest challenges defensively, and his capacity to attack offensively was another point of emphasis in workouts.

Prior to the injury, the five-time All-Star was averaging 21.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this season with a true shooting percentage of 54.3 and a player efficiency rating of 22.32.

Clippers point guard Chris Paul underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, suffered last Monday night in a win over Oklahoma City in Los Angeles. He is expected to be sidelined six to eight weeks and is not with the team on this road trip as he recuperates.

The Clippers are 3-7 this season?when playing without both Paul and Griffin.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.