Even though there was no NBA game action last night, there was tons of activity in the League. As we mentioned yesterday in Smack, while there were certainly some memorable plays in the tune-up games, this preseason will be known for two things: a lack of “real” NBA refs and injuries. Thankfully the former has been cleared up after the NBA reached an agreement with the referees, but unfortunately the latter seems to be an overwhelming reality for many of the League’s standout players … On the eve of the season opener, which includes a matchup between the Lakers and Clippers in a battle for Los Angeles (well, not really), it appears the Clippers will be without their superstar. Announced late last night, Blake Griffin may miss up to six weeks with a stress fracture of his left patella. Suffered during the Clippers’ last preseason game against the Hornets on Friday, this is horrible news for the No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year favorite … In other injury news, the Mavericks decision of where to play Josh Howard got a lot easier yesterday after they found out that “it could be awhile” before Howard takes the floor again. After undergoing operations on his left ankle and wrist back in May, J-Ho wasn’t cleared for any contact work until Oct. 14, but has yet to complete a full practice. “It could be weeks,” says Rick Carlisle. “I don’t know. I don’t know.” Suddenly all those people that doubted the acquisition of Shawn Marion have nothing to say … Speaking of small forwards, the Blazers took a devastating blow yesterday after hearing that starter Nicolas Batum will undergo surgery on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum. While a timeline for Batum’s return will be determined following the surgery, he could be out for the year making way for Martell Webster to retake the starting spot after missing all of last season … And then there’s Glen Davis. While all the recent talk surrounding Big Baby has been about his unhappiness with his new role (yes, Rasheed Wallace is better than you), what did Davis do? Did he hit the gym? No. Did he hit the weights? No. According to several unnamed sources, it appears Big Baby hit someone else, thus sustaining a right thumb injury that could cost him several months, if not the entire season. While Danny Ainge “would not confirm or deny” the circumstances surrounding the injury, sources say that it happened Sunday night when he got into an altercation with a friend/former teammate who was visiting from Louisiana … While the Cavs could try and clear house before they attempt to re-sign LeBron next summer, one player who will definitely be on the roster is third-year forward J.J. Hickson after Cleveland picked up his option yesterday. Other teams that did some housekeeping for the 2010-11 season include the Hornets (Julian Wright), Bulls (Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah) and Kings (Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson and Donte Greene) … After writing that the Suns were very interested in signing Jarron Collins after he was waivied by the Blazers last week, Phoenix indeed won the “Which Collins did I just pick up?” sweepstakes. Not only does the 6-11 Collins bolster the Suns’ frontcourt with Robin Lopez sidelined at least another month, but it also gives Phoenix a full set of Stanford twins (though not an identical pair) … First Jerry West, now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? According to the Commercial Appeal, the all-time NBA leading scorer is considering a consultant position on the Grizzlies coaching staff. In a related story, seven-footers Marc Gasol, Hamed Haddadi, Steven Hunter and Hasheem Thabeet all walked away from the game of basketball after the 62-year-old gave the Grizzlies frontline “the business” … Speaking of old guys, Lindsey Hunter is now the oldest player in the NBA this season at 38 years old (born in 1970) while Jrue Holiday is the youngest in the League at 19 (born in 1990). We’re pretty sure though that Tim Hardaway – who’s set to have his No. 10 jersey retired before the Heat’s opener on Wednesday – could beat them both … We’re out like Big Baby …