Los Angeles Clippers Distraction: Blake Griffin Faces Battery Charge In Las Vegas Incident

After a slow start in the new NBA season, the Los Angeles Clippers do not need another distraction for the team. Blake Griffin, one of the key players for the Clippers, is facing a misdemeanour battery charge after being accusing of slapping a man, a certain Daniel Schuman, outside a Las Vegas nightclub last October. Griffin was purportedly upset with Schuman for taking a picture of him without consent causing the Clippers star to grab his phone and neck.

The official charge against Griffin by the Clark County D.A. is one count of misdemeanour battery and Griffin faces six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine if found guilty, according to documents obtained by TMZ Sports.

Griffin is averaging a career-high 24.3 points per game in seven games so far in the 2014-2015 NBA Season and adds 6.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for the Clippers, which are currently tied for 8th spot in the Western Conference with a 4-3 win-loss record.

According to same report, the incident happened in October at the Tao Nightclub where Griffin was with teammates Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, both of whom were not part of the alleged incident.

Griffin has no prior history of violence or conviction of violent crimes that it is improbable that Griffin will face actual jail time. From court records, the scheduled arraignment of the Clippers big man will be on Dec 8 before a Las Vegas justice panel.

When news of the incident broke out in October, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers stated his confidence in his star forward.

"I trust Blake 100 percent. He's a great kid. We'll figure it out and get through it.” Rivers said via ESPN.COM. "I can't say much, but I feel very confident things will work out.”

The Los Angeles Clippers organisation or officials from the National Basketball Association (NBA) has yet to comment on the said issue.