LA Clippers finally need to stagger Blake Griffin with their bench
By Tom West
The Film, by Mo Dakhil
Putting Blake Griffin in with the second unit, especially at the start of the second quarter when the Clippers need a scoring punch, can be so beneficial. It’s too difficult to ask Jamal Crawford to carry that bench group on his own all season. Adding Griffin into the mix will create easier looks on the offensive end for the entire unit.
In the two plays in the following clip, Crawford comes off a pick-and-roll and hits Griffin as he’s being doubled. Since Crawford commands so much attention whenever he has the ball, Griffin is able to get an easy elbow jumper and a layup at the top of the charge circle.
In the next play, Griffin finds Raymond Felton in the corner for three after a pick-and-roll with Crawford. Because C.J. McCollum has to rotate over to stop a drive from Griffin, Felton is left wide open.
Griffin’s presence in the second until will create open looks for everyone on the floor. A Crawford-Griffin pick-and-roll can be an extremely effective weapon, as well as running a double high pick-and-roll with Griffin rolling hard to the rim and Marreese Speights popping for three. There are several opportunities for the Clippers to use Griffin in the second unit.
By employing a simple tactic that helps spread out the ability of stars, rather than using it all up in overpowering bursts at once, the all-bench regression can be cut down. This, not to mention more minutes for Griffin to run the offense with the ball in his hands, could be so easily achieved.
Next: Why Chris Paul has to be considered for MVP
Whether or not Doc does what he said this summer, though, is a question that we may well keep asking for a while yet.