NBA: 15 players looking to shed injury-prone label in 2017-18

4. Blake Griffin

Expectations for the Los Angeles Clippers may be lower than they’ve ever been during the Lob City era, but with Chris Paul gone and Blake Griffin inked to a whopping five-year, $173 million contract extension, there’s more pressure on the Flyin’ Lion than ever before.

With many believing the Clippers should “blow it up,” signing an injury-prone player like Griffin to a deal that will pay him through his age-32 season is risky. The front office reloaded about as well as could be expected with CP3 on his way out, but Griffin’s health is now at the crux of the team’s playoff hopes.

His injury history is not the most comforting. Even ignoring how he had to miss his entire rookie year due to a kneecap injury, Griffin has missed 15, 47 and 21 games over the last three years. Even worse than missed regular season games, though, is his unlucky penchant for sustaining season-ending injuries in the playoffs.

Last year, he lasted three games before being ruled out for the postseason due to a toe injury. The year before, it was a quad injury that took him down four games into the playoffs. The last time he stayed healthy in the playoffs, he put up a monstrous 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.

The talent is abundantly clear, but can he stay healthy long enough to A) Lead the Clippers back to the promised land and B) Actually see them through an entire playoff series? For the price of $173 million, the Clippers had better be hoping the answer is yes.