Blake Griffin Is Back In Dominant Game 1 Performance

After some setbacks during the regular season, Blake Griffin is back and as good as ever just in time for the playoffs.

For the first time in 2016, the Los Angeles Clippers looked like contenders in Sunday night’s 115-95 Game 1 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Chris Paul may have led the way by getting 28 points, six rebounds and 11 assists, but it was Blake Griffin‘s play that should have Clipper fans excited about the team’s fortunes going forward.

Griffin finished the game with 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. The 19 points and 12 rebounds are both the highest Griffin has totaled in a game since returning from his 44-game absence due to injuries and a suspension. Griffin also impressed by getting to the free-throw line 12 times.

Even more encouraging, Griffin returned to his roots as one of the league’s most aggressive players with the ball in his hands. Griffin threw in a few ferocious dunks that we haven’t seen him throw down in years and treated Blazers big man Mason Plumlee to not one, not two, but three facials.

Griffin has an ideal matchup against the Blazers, who start Al-Farouq Aminu at power forward. Griffin has a solid 35 pounds on Aminu and Griffin is great at using his strength in the post. In order for the Blazers to match up with Griffin, they’d have to plug Ed Davis or Noah Vonleh in for Aminu, sacrificing their spacing on the offensive end.

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There’s no guarantee that Davis or Vonleh would get better results defending Griffin, either.

Griffin used this advantage extremely well in Game 1, taking eight of his 10 field goal attempts in the restricted area. Griffin has drifted to the perimeter over the past few years and taken more shots from the mid-range area. Griffin is one of the league’s better mid-range shooting big men, but it’s his interior game that gives defenses fits.

The adjustment to do the bulk of his work in the paint resulted in Griffin more than doubling his per game free-throw attempts (5.5) to 12 in Game 1. Griffin’s free-throw attempts per game have fallen from 8.4 per game in 2013-14 to 5.5 this season.

Griffin doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves for his improvement on offense since he came into the league. Griffin has expanded his shooting range and become one of the best playmaking big men.

These improvements have made him a better player, but have caused him to slowly abandon his interior game, partially because DeAndre Jordan is constantly taking up space around the basket and bringing an extra defender to Griffin when he’s near the basket.

Griffin’s rededication to dominating the paint is a breath of fresh air for the Clippers, especially after coming back from injuries. After being out since late December, it would be easy for Griffin to want to avoid the contact that inevitably happens when operating in the post and settle for jumpers. Griffin is at his best when he’s attacking the basket around the rim.

What does this mean for the Clippers going forward?

If the Clippers continue to emphasize giving the ball to Griffin near the basket, this shouldn’t be a long series. The Blazers simply don’t have an answer for Griffin.

Taking Aminu out of the starting lineup for Davis or Vonleh would still put the Blazers at a huge talent disadvantage and it would sacrifice the Blazers offense, which relies on creating space for their high-scoring backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.

The only thing that the Blazers can do is send guards to help out when Griffin gets the ball in the low post, risking giving up open shots for the Clippers’ wings.

For the rest of the playoffs, it may not mean much since the Clippers’ likely next opponent will be the Golden State Warriors, who have Draymond Green, the second-place finisher in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.

If Griffin continues to dominate in the post, it could be a huge confidence boost for Griffin and the Clippers. If Griffin recognizes that he’s at his best in the post, he can get to the free throw line more often and potentially get his opposition in foul trouble.

If Griffin can generate points in the post and get opposing power forwards in foul trouble, that could be the neutralizer for the Clippers to make some noise in the second round.

If nothing else, Blake Griffin appears to be back at his best just in time for a potential playoff run for the Clippers.