HoopsHype.com Rumors

Jamal Crawford: Thank u for embracing my teammates and I the way you have. Sorry we let you guys down, keep believing, it will get better...#CLIPPERNATION Twitter @JCrossover

Los Angeles Clippers, Jamal Crawford 

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: Chris Paul practiced today with his bruised left thumb taped up. He said he's better today and will start Friday's Game 6. Twitter @ArashMarkazi

Los Angeles Clippers, Chris Paul, Injuries 

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 

Dan Woike: Chris Paul has a bruised left thumb but he will play in Game 6. Twitter @DanWoikeSports

Los Angeles Clippers, Free Agency, Chris Paul 

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 

In addition, Sampson is a potential candidate for Brooklyn and the Los Angeles Clippers, if those teams make coaching changes. Yahoo! Sports

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson 

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 

Mike Conley added 20 points for the Grizzlies, who will try to wrap it up Friday night at home. The Pacific Division champion Clippers, who won their last seven games of the regular season to clinch home-court advantage for the first two rounds, would force a deciding seventh game for Sunday back at Staples Center with a win in Memphis. "We're not going to lay down and we're never going to give up," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We're going to play hard, play together and try to do what we can to make it work. We've got to regroup and see how healthy we can get between now and then." Chris Paul led Los Angeles with 35 points, tying a career playoff high. "We've got to be desperate. That's how it is," Paul said. "I've said the playoffs don't start 'til somebody loses at home, so I guess now they've started. We lost here at home. Now it's do or die in Memphis." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Chris Paul, Vinny Del Negro, Mike Conley 

Metta World Peace: The coaching and GM for Memphis won this game. I say this because the team make sense. There is chemistry there. Deandre needs to achieve Twitter @MettaWorldPeace

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, DeAndre Jordan, Metta World Peace 

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