Rivers: Griffin ‘feels awful’ about punching incident
Blake Griffin. AP
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Clippers have completed their investigation into Blake Griffin’s punch-out of a team staff member and are awaiting the results of the NBA’s inquiry, which could come early next week.
Griffin wasn’t at Friday night’s game against the Lakers and neither was assistant equipment manager Matias Testi, whom the star forward punched at a Toronto restaurant on Jan. 23. Griffin broke his right shooting hand and will be out another four-to-six weeks after not playing since Dec. 26 because of a different injury.
Testi wasn’t at Staples Center either.
A team spokesman said the NBA is likely to announce its findings early next week.
“I’m satisfied I know what happened,” coach Doc Rivers said before the Clippers hosted the Lakers.
Rivers didn’t shed any light on what led to the altercation between Griffin and Testi, who are friends. Rivers said the two men have since been in touch, but he didn’t know what was said.
Earlier in the week, Rivers had said alcohol wasn’t involved. But he backtracked Friday.
“Did guys have a drink? I’m sure they did,” he said.
Rivers didn’t indicate whether Griffin will be punished by the Clippers.
“We’re very satisfied with all the information we have,” he said. “For us, it’s closed. Obviously the league has to do something.”
Rivers said he’s spoken to Griffin, adding, “He feels awful. We’ve all done some dumb things in our lives. You got to forgive people. We built Richard Nixon a library.”
