Blake Griffin to have elbow surgery
— -- Los Angeles Clippers star forward Blake Griffin has a staph infection in his right elbow and will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break.
The Clippers announced prior to Sunday afternoon's game against the Thunder that Griffin will undergo surgery Monday to remove the staph infection and will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break.
Griffin frequently has fluid drained from his elbow and recently developed the staph infection after one of the procedures, sources told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
Although the Clippers have not released a timeline for his return due to the nature of the injury, the initial projection is that Griffin will miss four to six weeks, sources told Shelburne.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers said that he doesn't know when Griffin will return and that Spencer Hawes will start in Griffin's place Sunday in Oklahoma City.
The Clippers' leading scorer, Griffin is averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and a career-high 5.1 assists this season. The All-Star forward was third in the league's MVP balloting last year.
Following Sunday's game, Los Angeles concludes its eight-game road trip Monday night against the Mavericks. The Clippers also host the Rockets on Wednesday night in their final game before the All-Star break.
The long-term absence of Griffin would be a crippling blow for the Clippers (33-18), who entered Sunday in sixth place in the Western Conference standings.
ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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