Blake Griffin was one of the leagues most exciting players at the start of this decade due to his impressive dunking skills and highlight alley-oops during the “Lob City” era with the Los Angeles Clippers. Griffin, who now plays for the Detroit Pistons, no longer is the highlight reel player that he used to be, but his all-around game has improved tremendously. Because of that, he is playing the best basketball of his entire career this season.
Current Season
Currently, in his 9th season, Griffin is averaging 26 PPG, 5.3 APG and 8.1 RPG. His FG% also sits at 48%, which shows that he is much more than just a “dunker”. His offensive playstyle is much more versatile now, as he has a 36% 3-point field goal percentage. Griffin is also driving more fouls, averaging just under 8 attempts per game, his highest in the past 5 years. While his stat line might not seem that impressive compared to some of the league’s best players, they’re the best all-around stats Griffin has achieved in his NBA career.
More Than Just A “Dunker”
As mentioned above, Griffin was widely regarded as just a “dunker” when he entered the league. This label was never quite true, but his playstyle has adapted over time. Griffin’s past injuries have been well documented, and his injuries are part of the reason he adjusted his game. In his rookie year, Griffin averaged 12 RPG and that number has gone down almost every season since.
In his rookie season, Griffin only shot 21 threes in total. In comparison, this season Griffin has shot 280 threes in 43 games. While these numbers are only the shots attempted, his made percentage has also gone up 6%. The only that has gotten worse is his mid-range shot. He’s shooting about 2 mid-range shots per game this season compared to 4.5 mid-range shots per game in his rookie season.
Current Blake Griffin is clearly different than the Blake Griffin we saw in his rookie year. Not only is his playstyle different, but it’s much more versatile, which makes him a bigger offensive threat than he ever was. The Pistons have a key a player which can guide them to the postseason.
Final Thoughts
It’s evident that Blake Griffin is having the best season of his career, and that’s not a knack to his performance in the past. I have always been a fan of him since day one and still proudly own a Clippers Griffin jersey. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Griffin is no longer a human highlight reel, but his versatility has improved his game tremendously.
Agree? Disagree? Will the Pistons make the playoffs? Is Griffin no longer the star player he used to be? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. As always make sure to follow me on Twitter @thisisgille. Until next time!
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