PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin will start Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs despite having a burst bursa sac in his right elbow and a neck strain, Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said Tuesday.
"His elbow is a concern," Del Negro said. "His neck is a concern but Blake is a tough kid. He'll fight through it and give us what he can give us."
Griffin played through a burst bursa sac the past two seasons, but the one he now has is the most painful he has endured, Del Negro said. Griffin, who wasn't made available to the media after Tuesday's practice, has been playing with a heavily taped right elbow.
The injury may help explain why Griffin is averaging 16.3 points on 45.1 percent shooting, below his career averages.
"It's a little bit worse," Del Negro said. "There's a little bit more swelling. He's had that for a long time but this time it seems to be a little more than normal. It affects everything when you have a bunch of fluid in your elbow. It's going to bother you but he's going to fight through it and give us what he can."
Griffin only participated in half of Tuesday's practice after getting hit on his neck, which he already had strained during Monday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"He hurt his neck a little bit last night," Del Negro said. "His neck has been stiff ... We'll see. There's no question, it's irritating him a little bit, but he's fighting through it right now."
