The end is near. With NBA 2K15 releasing in seven days (October 7 to be exact), 2K Sports has released the final ratings for their upcoming gaming iteration.
And coming in with a player rating of 89 is Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin.
At an 89, Griffin is tied as best power forward with Cavaliers big man Kevin Love. This is fair considering the split between Griffin and Love for best PF in the league is closer to 50-50 than it’s ever been. Prior to the 2013-14 season, Love was the consensus best selection, but following a career-best season in which Griffin averaged 24.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, narrowing the gap between himself and Love.
In regards to the power forward position in general, here is how the top-10 plays out:
1T: Blake Griffin (Los Angeles): 89
1T: Kevin Love (Cleveland): 89
3T: LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland): 88
3T: Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas): 88
3T: Anthony Davis (New Orleans): 88
6: Paul Millsap (Atlanta): 85
7T: Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City): 84
7T: Zach Randolph (Memphis): 84
9: David Lee (Golden State): 82
10: Kenneth Faried (Denver): 81
Blue Man Hoop
This is a sound listing from 2K Sports. Anthony Davis being tied third will shock many, but if (and when) he makes the leap many expect him to, 2K will surely compensate him from his hard work. A change I would personally make is swapping Paul Millsap and Serge Ibaka. While Millsap’s ability to create off-the-dribble is a huge draw, Ibaka’s ability to greatly impact the game on both ends of the floor (especially as a rim protector) gives him the edge up.
In comparison with the entire league, Griffin’s player rating is tied for 5th best with Carmelo Anthony (New York), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles), Paul George (Indiana), Kevin Love (Cleveland), and Stephen Curry (Golden State).
All of the above ratings are solid except one and that is the rating of Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. Having only played six games following the achilles tear seen around the world, no one has a grasp on what Bryant will provide this season. And by that being the case, it’s hard to expect Bryant to be the player he was pre-injury, but in the rare instance that he is, it’s best to rate him lower, allowing him to prove himself.
A player missing from the 89 group that surprised many is Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook whom is ranked 88 below the above-mentioned players.
If Griffin experiences another leap, it won’t be a surprise to see the power forward join the lone four players rated 90 or above … one being his teammate in Chris Paul.