Blake Griffin will not play in the Pistons’ first playoff game .
The 30-year-old forward has been dealing with soreness in his left knee and will not be on the floor in his team's matchup against the Bucks on Sunday, coach Dwane Casey told reporters pregame.
Dwane Casey said #Pistons’ Blake Griffin will not play in Game 1.
— James Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) April 14, 2019
Casey told reporters that Griffin was too sore to play and is considered "day-to-day."
Blake Griffin is OUT for Game 1 between the Pistons and Bucks, Dwane Casey said. He is still day-to-day.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) April 14, 2019
Griffin was held out of Detroit’s win over the Knicks on Wednesday, which clinched their spot in the postseason.
Griffin had a career season, averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 35 minutes per game. He shot 46.2 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from 3-point range.
The Pistons will be making just their second trip to the playoffs in 10 seasons. They last reached the postseason in 2015-16.
"This is the first step, for us to get in the playoffs,” Casey said last week. “Our young guys need to experience it, to understand the level of intensity and what it takes to get in there and make some noise."
Casey advanced to the playoffs in his first season with Detroit. He guided the Raptors to five straight postseason berths, including a trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 2015-16, before being fired last May.