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Los Angeles Clippers: Takeaways From 111-104 Win In Season-Opener

By Cameron Stewart

Oct 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) battles for a rebound against Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (23) during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings 111-104. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) battles for a rebound against Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (23) during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings 111-104. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) between plays against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings 111-104. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) between plays against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings 111-104. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Blake Griffin starts the season with a superstar game. 

How are we this deep into a game recap of last night’s game without going into detail on how awesome Griffin was last night? Griffin finished the game with 33 points on 14-20 shooting while adding eight rebounds and four assists.

Griffin’s scoring was a huge focus and he did it in a multitude of ways, but mostly by showing off his shooting stroke. Griffin took 11 jump shots last night and made eight of them. He shot 50% on catch-and-shoot opportunities and 60% on pull-up jumpers. Griffin’s critics who claim that all he can do is dunk are going to have to start coming up with new material.

Much of Griffin’s damage was done after setting picks for Chris Paul. Paul was knocking down his trademark mid-range jumper with ease last night and was demanding constant attention by both his man and the defender of whoever was setting the pick, which was often Griffin. When Paul gets into the lane and causes the defense to all go in the paint, Griffin was the beneficiary of this attention and Paul was finding him throughout the game for easy buckets.

Griffin is the perfect player for the pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop game. With his range improving by the year, he’s transformed from someone who could be ignored from outside of 10 feet to someone who will kill you if you leave him open from that range.

Griffin also defended Rudy Gay when the Kings went small and held his own. Although Gay isn’t much of a shooter, it’s encouraging that Griffin can play against smaller players who can score. Griffin took turns making the Kings pay for their smaller lineup. As much of the league starts playing more small-ball, it should provide opportunities for Griffin to go off on opponents as he’s athletic enough to hold his own and play around the perimeter while also being too strong and talented to be defended by smaller players. Griffin’s unique skillset for his position make him mostly immune to the effects of small-ball.

Next: Good to have DeAndre Jordan back

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