HoopsHype.com Rumors

Arash Markazi: Source tells me Clippers decision on coach will be organizational but team will indeed consult with CP3 and Blake. It won't be made blindly. Twitter @ArashMarkazi

Los Angeles Clippers, Free Agency, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Vinny Del Negro, Coaching 

Whoever runs the Memphis Grizzlies’ Instagram account has a wicked sense of humor. The sixth and final game of their playoff series with the Los Angeles Clippers was a rough affair, with Blake Griffin and Zach Randolph getting on the floor at one point. The Grizzlies, a team known for their self-proclaimed “grit-and-grind” style, owned this, posting a picture of Blake getting knocked around by a few Memphis players with the caption “WHOOP THAT CLIP.” As chants go, it’s more creative than “Honey Nut Cheerios.” For The Win

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Blake Griffin 

A tantalizing candidate to be the Clippers' next head coach posited by one NBA executive if the team would like to maximize its chances of Chris Paul re-signing with the franchise: Chauncey Billups. I can't tell you if Billups is interested in retiring as a player at this point, or even if being a head coach is what he wants to do next, but he certainly knows the game well enough, has long held unusual authority among his peers on the court and in the locker room. Then there's this: no one is closer on that team than Paul and Billups. I also know that Paul's control of the franchise, by virtue of the fact the Clippers will do anything to keep him, is nearly absolute. As for the current head coach, Vinny Del Negro, the consensus around the NBA is that this first-round ouster is almost certain to cost him his job. There are plenty of contributing factors that led to their demise that Del Negro couldn't control -- Billups' Achilles tendon issues, Blake Griffin's high ankle sprain, to name two -- but owner Donald Sterling simply invested too much in this team to be out of the postseason already. If Del Negro stays, it's because Paul wants him to stay and I haven't heard from anyone that Paul is willing to go to bat for Del Negro in that way. I only hope that over the next few months Paul doesn't feign that he will have nothing to do with who gets the job next or del Negro not being retained. The only way that could be true is if he tells the Clippers definitively that he is not coming back; otherwise, they are assuredly going to be highly interested in who Paul thinks should run the team. Sulia

Los Angeles Clippers, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Vinny Del Negro, Coaching, Chauncey Billups, Donald Sterling 

Some NBA players genuinely dislike each other. At this point, it’s safe to put Blake Griffin and Zach Randolph at that level. The first-round playoff series between Griffin’s Los Angeles Clippers and Randolph’s Memphis Grizzlies has been defined by physical play, as have their games throughout the regular season. And Blake and Z-Bo have always been at the center of that. In Game 6 of the playoffs, the two feisty big men turned a battle for a rebound into a full-blown wrestling match. Randolph got whistled for a technical, even though it looks like most of the contact was initiated by Griffin. If this series goes to a seventh game, they might have to build the court in the shape of an octagon. For The Win

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph 

With three minutes left on the clock, Memphis leading 111-99 and the outcome already decided, Clippers wing Caron Butler committed a loose ball foul that sent Grizzlies forward Tayshaun Prince to the charity stripe. After Prince made his first freebie, Paul and Billups chatted at the 3-point arc about their respective responsibilities on the live ball after the second free throw. Billups told Paul he'd go box out the shooter; Paul's task, then, was to head down the lane to help out on Grizzlies center Marc Gasol. Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph, Referees 

Blake Griffin went through a light workout Friday morning and will be a game-time decision as the Los Angeles Clippers try to stave off elimination in Game 6 against the Grizzlies Friday night. Griffin suffered a severe high right ankle sprain in practice on Monday. He tried to play in Tuesday's Game 5 loss back in Los Angeles, but had to leave midway through the game. While there is optimism within the team that Griffin will be able to play Friday night, it's not clear how much he'll be able to give them even if he does. "It really is 50-50," one Clippers source said. "But even if he goes, how much can he do? We don't know." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Blake Griffin, Injuries 

Brad Turner: Blake Griffin just walked of court without talking to media. He is game time decision still. Twitter @BA_Turner

Los Angeles Clippers, Blake Griffin, Injuries 

Blake Griffin needs to know if the story is true. Ever since he first heard it last July he's been obsessed with it. "The first night we all got into Las Vegas last summer for the USA Basketball camp, I heard Kobe [Bryant] went on some 40-mile bike ride at night through the desert," Griffin says. "Forty miles? At night? "You think it's true?" Before I can answer, Griffin continues: "When I found out about that bike ride, I was so tempted to ask him if I could go next time." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin 

The story Griffin heard turns out to be true. And it goes something like this: Bryant told his longtime trainer, Tim Grover, he wanted to add in bike training to his summer conditioning. Grover researched a trail in Las Vegas, rented three bikes -- one for Bryant, one for himself, and one for Bryant's security guard -- and on the night before the first day of practice, they each put on headlamps and headed out to the trail and rode. "We finished up around 2 a.m." Grover said. "And we were back in the gym working out by 7:30 in the morning." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, Tim Grover 

Griffin never did get to ask Bryant if he could ride along with him the next time. He hurt his knee the first day of practice and had to drop out of the Olympics. It wasn't a serious knee injury. Nothing like the fractured knee cap that forced him to miss his entire rookie season. Just a minor setback with a six-to-eight week recovery. Still, Griffin was crushed. "That's what I was looking forward to the most, just being around all those guys all summer," he says. "Playing with Kobe. Seeing how he works. Playing with LeBron [James] and Dwyane [Wade]. "That's what was most heartbreaking to me." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Blake Griffin, Team USA 

Griffin had to change his game to play with Paul, and vice versa. But overall they have a great relationship. "When I feel I'm playing at my best, I'm facilitating," Griffin says. "I like having the ball in the post -- not because I need to score every time, but because I like to make plays from there. This year I think I was better prepared because the whole lockout [in 2011] I was working out for what I expected to be our team, with Mo Williams. All Mo needs is a foot to shoot. He's throwing it in to me, I'm kicking it back out, he's going up with it. I'm doing a lot of facilitating out of the post. Playing with CP has changed the way I play, but for the better. It's still a work in progress, but I think it's making me a better player. I want to play with great players. I want to play with guys that want to win like he does." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin 

Asked how Griffin's high right ankle sprain injury might affect the matchup of power forwards when the two teams meet on Friday for Game 6 of their first-round series, Randolph was dismissive, reminding reporters that he was nursing his own injuries. "Banged up?" Randolph said. "I'm banged up. You forgot about my ankle? Banged up. My ankle is as big as a balloon. Talk to the trainers. I'm getting treatment every day. It's the playoffs." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph 

"Last year when I played in the playoffs, I wasn't 100 percent, but I was out there, so I had to be 100 percent," Randolph said. "It's the playoffs. It's a big-boy game." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph 

Arash Markazi: Blake Griffin did not practice but received treatment on his high ankle sprain. He wants to play Friday but will be a game-time decision. Twitter @ArashMarkazi

Los Angeles Clippers, Blake Griffin, Injuries 

Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph expressed no sympathy on Thursday for the condition of Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin. Asked how Griffin's high right ankle sprain injury might affect the matchup of power forwards when the two teams meet on Friday for Game 6 of their first-round series, Randolph was dismissive, reminding reporters that he was nursing his own injuries. "Banged up?" Randolph said. "I'm banged up. You forgot about my ankle? Banged up. My ankle is as big as a balloon. Talk to the trainers. I'm getting treatment every day. It's the playoffs." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph, Injuries 

Madelyn Burke: Blake Griffin had X-ray on sprained right ankle yesterday (negative) getting MRI this morning. VDN says will see how he feels, day-to-day Twitter @MadelynBurke

Los Angeles Clippers, Blake Griffin, Injuries 

Blake Griffin has a sprain of his right ankle and is listed as day-to-day for Friday's Game 6 in the Clippers' playoff series against Memphis. Griffin, who sustained the injury during Monday's practice after landing on Lamar Odom's foot while attempting a pass, said it's the worst sprain he's ever suffered. "I've never had one this bad before," he said. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Blake Griffin, Injuries 

As for his chances of playing Friday, Griffin said that he's "just got to wait and see" if he's ready. "Hopefully with two days of rest and two days of treatment, it will be," he said. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Blake Griffin, Injuries 

Dan Woike: Team source says no one in organization was optimistic Blake Griffin would play Tuesday. Size of ankle compared to "grapefruit" by source. Twitter @DanWoikeSports

Los Angeles Clippers, Blake Griffin, Injuries 

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin left Game 5 of the Clippers' first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies in the third quarter Tuesday night with a high right ankle sprain and did not return. He is listed as day to day heading into Friday's Game 6 in Memphis. Griffin originally suffered the injury during Monday's practice but the team did not reveal the injury until just before tipoff of Tuesday's game. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Blake Griffin, Injuries