Clippers’ Blake Griffin to miss at least three weeks after surgery

Blake Griffin will miss at least three weeks after having surgery to remove a staph infection in his right elbow, the Clippers announced Monday.

The surgery was performed Monday in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Griffin had been taken to a hospital Saturday after the team landed in Oklahoma City because his right elbow was swollen -- the same elbow from which fluid was drained in New York last week to deal with bursitis.

The Clippers said that Griffin will be reevaluated in three weeks, and then they will provide a timetable for his return. The team had estimated Sunday that Griffin would miss anywhere from 10 days to six weeks because of the infection.

Three weeks from Monday is March 2, meaning Griffin would miss at least eight games since having the surgery. He would be missing more games if the All-Star break weren’t around the corner, giving the Clippers a break in play from Feb. 12-18.

Griffin, 25, is averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 50.1% from the field for the Clippers, who are in sixth place in the Western Conference with a record of 33-19.