NBA security personnel interviewed Clippers center DeAndre Jordan and assistant athletic trainer/travel manager Joe Resendez Wednesday night in Atlanta about the fight Blake Griffin was alleged to have been involved in, reports the Los Angeles Times‘ Broderick Turner.
Both Jordan and Resendez were present at the Toronto restaurant where Griffin punched assistant equipment manager Matias Testi. The league officials were trying to figure out what the two men witnessed or knew about the altercation. Griffin, who will be out four to six weeks with a broken right hand and could face a further suspension or fine, will be interviewed soon by NBA officials, as well as Testi, whose face is badly swollen. NBA security is also investigating whether or not there is video of the incident.
According to a different report by the Times‘ Ben Bolch, Griffin and Testi were engaging in another one of their typical tête-à-têtes complete with trash talk from both sides, until the tenor changed and Griffin punched Testi inside the restaurant. Griffin returned to Los Angeles on Sunday after the Clippers game in Toronto and Testi returned on Monday having traveled with the team to Indiana.
Griffin has since apologized for the “distraction” he caused due to the incident.
https://twitter.com/blakegriffin32/status/692194242437988353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
This is the second time in the past 16 months that Griffin has been involved in an off-the-court physical episode. He was charged with misdemeanor battery in November 2014 after an incident during which Griffin was in an altercation with a man inside a Las Vegas nightclub. The charge was dropped in March.
The Clippers are currently 29-16, which is the fourth-best record in the Western Conference. That record includes a 12-3 mark without Griffin in the lineup this season.
