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Blake Grffin underwent surgery on his persistently ailing left knee, the team announced Wednesday.
The arthroscopic procedure was conducted in Los Angeles and the team said Griffin is not expected to miss any offseason training activities.
The details of the procedure were not disclosed other than calling it “ a successful arthroscopic procedure on his left knee” so there is no telling what was done or cleaned up within the bothersome knee.
The surgery has been on the books for awhile, though, Bruce Tennen, who has friends in the right places in the organization, and is usually right, indicated the surgery was on the table in early April.
Pursuant to a source in the Pistons front office, Blake Griffin will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his sore left knee following the season or playoffs providing he lasts that far.
— Bruce Tennen (@BruceTennen) April 7, 2019
That means that the team knew the surgery was imminent while they were also evaluating when he would be healthy enough to see the floor again. And Griffin did play (somewhat hobbled) in games three and four of the playoffs.
That leads me to believe (purely speculative) that Griffin just needed to get some debris or tissue cleaned up in his left knee.
Good friend of the blog (perhaps not reciprocated?) @shamshammgod is also a great go-to source for background on medical procedures.
The positive around Blake Griffin’s knee surgery today is that it was done via arthroscope.
— Sham (@shamshammgod) April 25, 2019
The idea behind it is to limit the cutting and damage created from surgery itself - leading to quicker and more stable recovery. pic.twitter.com/Tf9BIqCv56
It goes without saying just how important Blake Griffin was to Detroit this season. He was the first bonafide No. 1 option Detroit has had in a decade, and he sucked in defenders and dictated game plans more than anyone since Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace.
Griffin averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists with a career high 3-point percentage and high-volume attempt rate. He had his second best true shooting percentage while expanding his game into every quadrant of the floor.
He was a leader in the locker room and on the floor. He helped Andre Drummond mature and take the next step in his career. I truly believe that.
All of this is to say ... please, get well soon, Blake. If you need someone to shovel your driveway next winter, or drive you around to get some kombucha and fresh mangoes, please let me know. My DMs are open.