Pistons' Blake Griffin Cleared for Basketball Activities After Leg Injuries
Detroit Pistons power forward Blake Griffin, who's yet to appear in a game during the 2019-20 NBA season because of knee and hamstring injuries, has been cleared to resume basketball activities.
Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported Thursday that Griffin is now day-to-day.
The 30-year-old University of Oklahoma product is coming off a strong 2018-19 campaign for the Pistons. He averaged a career-best 24.5 points to go along with 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists while making a career-high 2.5 threes per game as the evolution of his game continued.
Griffin has a history of injury problems, though.
He missed his entire first year in the NBA because of a knee injury. After missing just four games over the next four seasons, he's sat out 114 contests over the last five years with various injuries, including further knee issues.
The six-time All-Star had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in April.
"I'm close, very close," Griffin told Charania on Monday about his return. "The training staff tells me it's one day at a time. They tell me what I'm doing the next day, and that's it, because they know I'd go crazy if I have a timetable."
He added: "I feel great and I'm ready to go whenever they give me the green light."
Griffin will likely be on a minutes restriction upon his return, but once given full clearance he should one again create one of the league's best froncourt tandems with center Andre Drummond.
His return is going to decrease the playing time for Markieff Morris, Christian Wood and Thon Maker.
