Los Angeles Clippers: This Is Blake Griffin’s Chance To Save L.A.

The stars have aligned, the supporting cast has improved, and the bench has been solidified. This is Blake Griffin’s chance to save the Los Angeles Clippers.

Blake Griffin has traveled a longer road to success than most No. 1 draft picks in recent NBA history. He spent two seasons with the unheralded Oklahoma Sooners, missed his rookie season due to injury, and is now playing for the least accomplished organization in the Association.

Seven years after he was drafted No. 1 overall, Griffin finally has a legitimate opportunity to save the Los Angeles Clippers.

In six seasons, Griffin has won Rookie of the Year, earned four All-NBA selections, and made five All-Star Game appearances. He’s also played for two coaches and transformed his game to fit everything that’s been asked of him.

Griffin got the 2016-17 process off to a great start by posting 27 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, three steals, and a block in a 114-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

The question is: can the Clippers finally realize their potential?

Griffin boasts career averages of 21.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.0 steal on 52.1 percent shooting from the field. In other words: elite production has never been an issue for the 27-year-old.

The only players in NBA history who have career averages of at least 21.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists are Elgin Baylor, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Griffin.

All things considered, Griffin is a 27-year-old power forward who’s just now entering his prime and already on a Hall of Fame trajectory. Unfortunately, he’s also playing for an organization that has never made the Conference Finals.

The task of ending that near 50-year drought rests squarely on Griffin’s broad shoulders.

Griffin and Chris Paul are All-NBA mainstays who have essentially been the contemporary era’s Karl Malone and John Stockton. They’re two dominant forces who are both likely to be enshrined in Springfield once they retire.

They’re also the two players who face the most criticism for the Clippers’ shortcomings, with Paul enduring a vast majority of it.

Due to the fact that Paul takes most of the external blame for the Clippers’ lack of postseason success, it’s fair to believe that Griffin is facing the most internal pressure. Paul is the player who pulled the Clippers out of obscurity and into the postseason picture.

It’s Griffin who must step up to help him get over the hump and finally reach the Western Conference Finals.

The path to the Western Conference Finals will be as difficult as it’s ever been. The Golden State Warriors are redefining the term super team with four 2016 All-NBA players on the same roster, and the San Antonio Spurs are never to be counted out.

The Clippers simply don’t have the luxury of waiting until next season.

Both Griffin and Paul will be free agents in 2017, and starting shooting guard J.J. Redick will be joining them. It stands to reason that hometown discounts could be accepted in order for all three players to return to Los Angeles.

It also stands to reason that the only way those three players would agree to such a scenario is if the Clippers were to actually break through and reach the Conference Finals.

Fortunately for Griffin, he has the necessary help to lead Los Angeles to postseason success. Paul is still an All-NBA point guard, DeAndre Jordan is realizing his potential, and Redick is filling the Ray Allen role to perfection.

Furthermore, the likes of Jamal Crawford, Raymond Felton, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Austin Rivers, and Marreese Speights create acceptable depth.

For as gifted as this Clippers team may be on paper, however, it’s all about how Griffin executes in the games that matter. No one is better than Chris Paul at pacing their team offensively—OK, LeBron James—but even the most steady of paces need the occasional spike.

Paul has done his job in elevating the Clippers to contending status.

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It’s time for Griffin to do his by helping Los Angeles make the leap.