Ever since Blake Griffin finally got to suit up for and play, things have been exciting and fun for my Los Angeles Clippers. All the previous history and even the losing from earlier in this season is apparently old news, because the Clippers look ready to battle for wins every night, no matter the status of their opponents.
The ultimate proof of that is tonight’s huge 111-105 win over the Miami Heat, who came into the game winners of 13 straight road games (top five in NBA history) and had won 21 of their previous 22 games with an All-Star cast that features 2-time MVP LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
James and Wade score 25 points a piece and have been the focal point of a Heat team that was nearly unstoppable, but it didn’t matter against a Clippers squad who was rolling in its own right. They have now won 8 of their last 11 games and look like a completely different team than the one who started this season with a dismal 1-13 record.
At 13-24 they’ve already gotten quality wins over some of the NBA’s best, including the Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Hornets and also lost at the buzzer to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Much of the change appears to have come with the energy Griffin brings the team. The rookie has teamed up with the rest of the Clippers to form one of the most entertaining and dangerous teams in the league, a far cry from their previous reputation as a cellar-dwelling pushover. Led by his guaranteed double-doubles (he’s had 24 straight and 30 for the season) and awesome dunk shows, he’s definitely contributed to a rejuvenated Baron Davis and combines with center DeAndre Jordan for a dunking duo in the paint.
When you factor in the consistency of guard Eric Gordon and his scoring (top 10 in the NBA at 24 a game) you can see why the team is on the rise and prepared to take down any team they face. LeBron and the Heat got a quick initiation to the new Clippers, with the team jumping out to a huge lead in a 44-point first quarter scoring flurry that included a literal flashback to the Baron Davis of yesteryear when he threw down an emphatic dunk of his own.
They showed a lot of maturity and growth by not falling back into old bad habits when the Heat made their inevitable runs and cut what was once a 21-point Clippers lead to only one or two points. I was fully expecting to see a collapse (even though I obviously hoped it wouldn’t happen) so it was even more enjoyable to see them stand up to the more established team and survive their runs.
More importantly, Griffin stood up for himself after a confrontation with the Heat’s Mario Chalmers that resulted in double technicals and used the anger as motivation to ensure a win. He followed the verbal scuffle by letting his game do the talking and the result was a sweet double-pump dunk that helped keep the Clippers ahead for good.
Opposing teams have been trying to get under his skin by playing extra physical against him and it’s been a scary and frustrating thing for Clipper fans to watch. Not only because he could get injured, but because there’s always the chance Blake could end up getting himself into trouble. For his part, Griffin told ESPNLA.com’s Chris Palmer that he enjoys the physicality he’s encountered.
Perhaps not wanting to end up on the wrong end of a Griffin highlight, defenses have become increasingly physical with the rookie. And that might not be the best strategy.
“They probably don’t know that I love to get physical,” Griffin said. “If you want to wrestle me all day, that’s fine. It’s fun and it gets me going. I feel more comfortable if the game is physical.”
It also sends him to the line 8.4 times a game, sixth best in the league and tops among all rookies.
As a longtime Clippers fan, I love seeing him step up to every challenge and showing that he’s not afraid of anything on the court. Whether it’s tough physical defense or the best teams in the NBA, Blake and the Clippers are ready for them. That mentality can be the critical first step in rebuilding the franchise’s image and finally creating a winner for LA’s other professional basketball team. As long as they keep winning and getting better, the focus will shift to the management and ownership to everything they can to keep this young nucleus together.
With the wins mounting and the confidence and effort consistently growing with every game, it’s what the players and fans deserve.
-Will.
Will R. is a journalist/writer who covers sports, news and music for several websites. He’s a longtime Clippers fan and his “Diary of a Clippers Fan” will be published every Wednesday of the NBA season. His music work can be found on www.WestCoastRydaz.com
