Clippers’ Blake Griffin could undergo knee surgery, miss 3-6 weeks

The Clippers are deciding whether Blake Griffin will undergo arthroscopic surgery in his right knee.

The surgery would be to remove loose bodies in the knee, which can be small fragments of cartilage or bone. The recovery time for the surgery would be three to six weeks.

Griffin, who leads the Clippers with 21 points per game, missed a Dec. 10 win over the Pelicans because of knee soreness. Before that game, after announcing Griffin was out, Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said the soreness was “nothing big.” Griffin did return to the lineup two days later, and finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and seven assist in the Clippers’ 117-110 loss to the Wizards on Sunday.

The seventh-year power forward played in just 35 games last season because injuries to his left quad and right hand.

“We’re just not going to take any chances with anyone,” Rivers said after he ruled Griffin out for the Pelicans game eight days ago. “And it’s not that big of a deal; we just feel like it’s a long season.”

Now the Clippers could be without Griffin, part of their “Big Three” and one of the league’s most dynamic forwards, for the near future. They host the Nuggets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and will look to improve upon their 20-8 record.

Griffin missed a loss to the Nets (rest) on Nov. 29 and Paul Pierce started in his place. Rivers then replaced Griffin with shooting guard Austin Rivers in the recent win over the Pelicans.