Ten takeaways from the LA Clippers’ first preseason game

Blake Griffin is healthy and ready to roll

At one point in the summer, it was reported that Blake Griffin wouldn’t be ready for the start of the season due to the foot injury he suffered in last year’s playoffs. Well, Griffin put those rumors to rest, fully participating in training camp and playing 20 quality minutes in the Clippers’ preseason opener. Griffin finished with a team-high 18 points but despite initiating and facilitating a large amount of the team’s offense, only ended the game with one assist. Griffin was dominant on the offensive end, shooting six of ten from the floor and scoring in a multitude of different ways.

The power forward came out firing right out of the gate, scoring ten of his 18 points in the first quarter. Griffin showed off his expanded range, hitting two three-pointers in the first quarter, including this smooth shot from the top of the key:

Blake also did a nice job of finishing around the rim, taking advantage of smaller defenders and working his way to the basket on multiple occasions. The power forward may not have had any dunks of his own, but he showed maturity and poise while the Clippers ran their offense through him.

Here are all 18 of Griffin’s points from the Clippers’ 2017 preseason opener: