LA Clippers: Blake Griffin’s aggression continues to shine
By Tom West
Blake Griffin is attacking the offensive glass, playing with aggression inside, orchestrating the offense, and showing how much he can transform the LA Clippers this season.
Blake Griffin hasn’t averaged more than 10 rebounds per game since his sophomore NBA season in 2011-12, largely thanks to the increased role and ascension of the glass-gobbling machine that is DeAndre Jordan. In a motivated comeback year, though, returning with good health, approaching free agency in 2017, and an increased chance to anchor the LA Clippers‘ second unit, Griffin could become a nightly double-double machine again this season.
Even though we’re only three games into the season, these factors go in Griffin’s favor going forward, and he’s off to a great start with three straight double-doubles so far. He’s averaging 22 points, 11.3 rebounds (2.7 offensive), 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per game, combining to reunite the Clippers’ deadly frontcourt that can be a force on the glass whenever they want to be.
It’s something Griffin can enforce now, and he won’t let his increased range lure him away from the basket too often. In fact, we’ve seen quite the opposite so far with many of the scores he’s been seeking out, whether he’s finding deep positioning in the post for or taking opponents off the dribble and getting to the line rather than settling for jumpers.
For instance, five offensive rebounds in the season opener against Portland and 12-of-14 shooting from the free throw line in the Clippers’ latest win, a 116-98 victory against Phoenix, are brief examples of how aggressive he’s been inside.
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When he’s attacking the glass, getting to the lane, or drawing double teams from the post, he not only creates higher efficiency opportunities inside, but draws more defensive attention to create space for teammates outside. And we all know how well he passes to find others for those open looks.
In Griffin’s latest showing, he did all that could be asked of him. By delivering 21 points on a highly efficient seven shots (thanks to those 12 made free throws), 11 rebounds and five assists, he showed us a bit of everything. And while four made shots may not be much, creating chances at the line and the way he’s been scoring overall this season go an awful long way to improving the Clippers’ offense.
His double interior threat to score or pass is something the team missed in his absence last season. For example, take this play from the preseason.
In a piece looking into the impact of Griffin’s return during the preseason, I explained this basket in a little more detail and how such plays help the team:
"Griffin gets the mismatch against Rodney Hood at the top of the key, encouraging Joe Johnson to leave his man, Luc Mbah a Moute (obviously a weak perimeter threat, which is extra incentive to double Blake).With Gobert having to keep DeAndre Jordan away from the paint to prevent the opening for a lob, Luc is left wide open, attacks the clear lane to the basket, and Griffin easily drops a pass between Hood and Johnson for a Luc layup."
Outside of his passing, Griffin has continued to fight inside during the Clippers’ 3-0 start, too. On plays such as this, when he establishes low positioning in the post, he can operate as an instant target for the team’s guards to find in transition.
He’s already a major threat to go to work or turn for a quick score from the low block, but when he positions himself this close to the basket as he does here against the smaller (and rather helpless) Jared Dudley, he can score even quicker.
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Yet again, looking for these kinds of scores and being aggressive inside rather than drifting away from the basket brings a level of interior dominance that was lacking in Griffin’s absence.
Then there’s the way Griffin has been pushing the pace in transition, supporting Doc Rivers’ intentions to increase the speed of the Clippers’ offense this year.
With the way Blake can tear down a rebound, blow past opponents, raise the tempo, and either elevate for a finish, draw a foul, or pass to complete a fastbreak adds an element to the Clippers’ attack that they can’t have without him.
These back-to-back alley-oops to Jordan within a mere 30-second spell against the Suns, with Griffin grabbing the defensive rebound on both possessions, are perfect examples.
No big man tandem in the league can run a fastbreak like this. The way Griffin reads the court, moves and passes in space is something the LA Clippers sorely missed last season, and his return is already transforming how they’re taking over their opponents after the first three wins.
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You can expect to see more of the same each night as BG and DJ unite in transition or in the half court when Griffin operates from the post and finds his partner for dump off passes or emphatic alley-oops.
Beyond this, Griffin is asserting his authority in the paint to do the finishing himself. His elevated intensity on the offensive glass has been a great sign of his approach to the game so far, and looking for perfect positioning for fast scores and attacking so strongly inside is reminding everyone just how much of a force to be reckoned with he really is.
Oh, and he’s shooting (and making) threes now, too, adding another weapon and threat for defenses to worry about to his arsenal.
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NBA, watch out for this version of Blake Griffin. He should be the best we’ve seen yet.