Celtics Champ Issues Bold Claim on Blake Griffin’s Pistons Future, Health

Getty Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons tries to get a shot off around Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets.

Blake Griffin is a stats stuffer.

The Los Angeles Clippers’ first overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by way of the University of Oklahoma, Griffin is a six-time NBA All-Star and a five-time All-NBA selection.

During the 2018-19 NBA season, Griffin averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists per contest.

Last season, his stats were down from the year before. The Detroit Pistons forward averaged 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in just 18 games.

Griffin missed the first 10 games of the 2019–20 season while recovering from left knee surgery.

After playing 18 games for Detroit, Griffin had a second surgery on his left knee and missed the remainder of the season.

Appearing on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show, I asked retired NBA player turned ESPN analyst, Kendrick Perkins what he thinks Griffin’s upside will be. “I have to see their team to be honest,” Perkins told me on Heavy Live With Scoop B.

“I just want Blake Griffin to be healthy. If he’s healthy and he gets back to the Blake Griffin that we watched grow or the Blake Griffin that can stretch now who still got the face ups and still is a helluva finisher around the basket, we can be in for a real treat. The thing is that we need that healthy Blake Griffin; and he should be. He’s had extended time to rest, so I’m looking forward to seeing what Blake Griffin is going to bring back to the table but, it’s interesting that you brought his name up. It just goes to show you the power of playing in those big markets, right? Like, the L.A. markets, right? Like, with the Clippers that’s all you used to see is Blake Griffin. Soon as he got traded to Detroit, we didn’t see Blake Griffin that much and it’s crazy.”

Last season, the Pistons finished 20-46 and in thirteenth place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings.

Guided by head coach Dwane Casey, the Pistons are looking to right their ship. During the offseason, they added Jerami Grant, Josh Jackson, Mason Plumlee, Jahlil Okafor and Wayne Ellington to a roster that already included Derrick Rose and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk.

Meanwhile back at the ranch: Blake Griffin wants to get his groove back.

There’s two different ways to rebuild,” Pistons head coach, Dwane Casey said recently. “We took the lesser of the two routes. Some teams tear it down to play rookies. If you tear it all the way down and try to do that, it’s years and years and years before you get it back – because those rookies are learning bad habits.”

“Any time you have an All-NBA player – I’ve played with a couple of them – they make the game easier for everybody,” Mason Plumlee said recently.

“The game plan’s going to focus on them defensively. They’re going to give you a base in scoring 20-plus a night. It’s a luxury for a young team to have. Playing with Blake is great – as is D-Rose. I put those guys together. It’s a privilege to play with them.”