Report: Clippers' Griffin to be out 'a while'

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin has a sprained MCL and will be out "a while," according to a report from NBA.com.

Griffin suffered the injury after an awkward fall in Monday night's game against the Lakers. Per NBA.com, the Clippers are "relieved the injury wasn't worse."

The injury came with 4:43 left in the fourth quarter of the Clippers' 120-115 win when Griffin, teammate Austin Rivers, and Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball became tangled up going after a loose ball. Rivers fell into Griffin's left knee, causing Griffin to collapse to the floor. Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. came up with the ball, and scored an and-one layup.

This is not the first time that Griffin has experienced problems with his left knee. He has had surgery on it twice, once before the 2009-10 season to repair a broken kneecap, and once during the summer of 2012 to repair a medial meniscus tear.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said after the game that Griffin would undergo additional testing on Tuesday.

“He’s not in high spirits," Rivers told reporters. "He’s down. Right now, he’s where we are at, hoping that it was just a bang and then it hurt and then he’ll be all right. But his spirits are down right now, yeah. It didn't look good. But we'll just have to wait and see.

"You could see right when it happened. Lonzo was just trying to make a play, but he went in. Usually when you go in like that, that hard ... they call it."

This is just the latest injury issue for the Clippers this season. Patrick Beverley is out for the year after undergoing surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee, and Danilo Gallinari has missed the last 10 games with a strained glute.

The Clippers are currently 8-11 and will play the Utah Jazz on Thursday night at the Staples Center.