More Than Just a Dunk Machine

I really didn’t want to write another basketball post today, but after Blake Griffin’s 47 point, 14 rebound thrashing of the Pacers yesterday afternoon, he definitely deserved his own post. I’m sure being in my blog must be the highlight of his young career. 

Blake Griffin has been like a 21^st century Dr. J this year. You hear all these incredible stories about him, but you’ve really got to see him to get the full effect. Blake Griffin almost hit his head on the rim on a fast break dunk? No way! The difference between Dr. J and Griffin is that now we have YouTube. So instead of eye witness accounts and crazy stories about the Dr, we get to see Griffin soaring high above the rim in real life, and boy is it something to see.

Just like everyone else who watches him in awe, what strikes me most about Blake Griffin is his physical attributes. I’m not talking about size though; it’s something else. Griffin looks like a different species out there.  Watching him run the floor like LeBron, back guys down like a young Shaq, and dunk like a taller Vince Carter, you’d swear he was one of those created players in NBA Live. He palms the ball like it’s a softball, and the rim definitely isn’t tall enough for him. I don’t know if this is just me, but when I watch Blake Griffin play, it seems like the game isn’t big enough for him.

Now I’m not saying he’s a perfect player, far from it. He doesn’t have a reliable mid range jumper, needs some go-to post moves, and isn’t a great free throw shooter. Also, from the 7-8 games of his that I’ve seen this year, he seems to still be learning the game on the defensive end and as a shot blocker.

(On a side note, before this year, I’ve watched maybe six Clippers games in my lifetime, so there’s the Blake Effect for you)

A lot of people may think I’m still overrating Griffin. He’s not good in the half court, he doesn’t shoot well, he’s all flash.

Yesterday, he tried to silence all those critics.

Against the Pacers, Griffin scored 47 points; with only one dunk. Based on the game footage I’ve seen and the multiple recaps I’ve read online, Griffin scored using a variety of moves, from post up hook shots to turnaround J’s. He shot 79% from the floor, 9/11 from the line, and scored 47 points on only 24 shots. By my calculation, he was also 5/7 on shots from more than 15 feet out. Talk about efficiency.

Yesterday’s game was like a coming out party for Griffin, and if he can continue turning in efforts that are even half as good as this one, watch out. He’s still got a lot to improve on, but let’s keep in mind that he’s still just a rookie. With a few more post moves and a consistent mid range game, Griffin’s going to evolve from a physical beast into a complete basketball beast, and this is what the rest of the NBA should really be afraid of.