Clippers to rest Griffin on Friday against Jazz

He's only been back in the Los Angeles Clippers' lineup for three games, but the team will give Blake Griffin a rest Friday when they take on the Utah Jazz.

Griffin returned last Sunday from a 45-game absence due to quad and hand injuries. In three games, the Clippers have eased him back into action, playing him an average of 22 minutes in the trio of contests, all wins. He scored 13 points Wednesday against the Lakers, the second night of a back-to-back against the Clippers' Staples Center co-tenants.

The possibility exists the Clippers rest their entire core Friday, with Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, and J.J. Redick potentially sitting.

Including Utah, the Clippers have four games left in the regular season and are already locked into the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The Jazz will hope to take advantage of the absences as they continue to chase their own postseason spot.