Blake Griffin: Why He's a Long Way From Becoming an Elite NBA Big Man
The hype machine has been working overload on the Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin.
He possesses the perfect blend of explosiveness and thunderous dunks with a bit of an attitude.
He is L.A.'s newest star and is quickly becoming one of the more recognizable stars in the NBA.
But don't let the Sportscenter Top 10 plays fool you—Griffin is not an elite big man right now.
Last night, the Magic’s Dwight Howard took him to school in the humbling 101-85 loss.
Griffin is on his way...but here is why Griffin shouldn't be considered one of the best players in the NBA just yet.
10. Limited Offensive Arsenal
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The name of the game for Griffin on offense is layups, put-backs and, of course, dunks.
Has a player ever dominated a league strictly by rim-rocking dunks?
Nope.
Even Shaq had a mean hook shot and fall-away jump shot.
Griffin needs to develop a mid-range jumper in the offseason to truly reach is offensive potential.
Defenses are pushing him away from the basket or enforcing the "Hack-a-Blake" method of defense. The creativity away from the basket needs to increase.
Problem is...
9. Weak Jump Shot
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For a guy that takes the majority of his shots in the paint, shooting 51 percent from the field isn’t that great.
Compare his numbers to third-year power forward Al Horford of the Hawks, who shoots 57 percent from the floor while taking many more jumpers.
It’s no secret that Griffin still lacks touch in a 15-foot jump shot.
He doesn’t garner extra attention away from the basket and is dared to launch long jumpers.
It’s a big part of his game that needs improvement in order for Griffin to become an offensive juggernaut.
8. Weak Defender
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Defensive plays rarely make the headlines and America doesn’t know about the shortcomings of Griffin on that end.
He fails to fight through ball screens and is slow to close out on defenders.
Teams run pick-and-roll or pick-and-pops on Blake with positive results. Griffin looks lost and almost uninterested in playing hard, in-your-face defense.
His aggressive nature on offense needs to carry over to his defense.
7. Shoots Bricks from the Free-Throw Line
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Griffin is not the guy you want on the free-throw line with the game hanging in balance.
He is shooting 60 percent from the charity stripe. Not ideal for a guy that almost shoots nine free throws per game.
He has missed 20 of his last 42 shots from the line.
Griffin ranks 128 out of 130 players who have shot enough free throws to qualify for worst shooter from the line.
Only Emeka Okafor and Dwight Howard are worse.
It’s another flaw in his game that needs work in the summer.
6. Turnover-Prone
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Sure he is only a rookie, but it’s hard to ignore his 2.8 turnovers he commits a game.
He has more turnovers than all but three power forwards/centers.
Considering the actual time Griffin is in possession of the basketball, it’s an issue that must be addressed.
Hard to run an offense through guy that doesn't protect the ball.
5. Hasn’t Improved Clippers
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The 2009-10 Clippers won 29 total games. As it stands right now, the Clippers are 19-32.
There are only two teams in the Western Conference that have worse records.
The projected win total for the Clips is 31-to-32. That equals another lottery and another offseason of question marks.
Going from 29 to 32 wins is not exactly a Tim Duncan-like rookie impact for Griffin.
4. Doesn’t Impose Any Intimidation on Defense
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How is it possible for a 6’10", 250-pound physically gifted freak to only average .5 blocks per game?
Defenses are not afraid of taking the ball to the rim on Griffin. His presence is weak on defense and the 101.4 points a game the Clippers give up is a direct result.
The lack of blocks for a guy of his size and jumping ability is a head-scratcher.
3. Can’t Hang With the Best Big Men
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You can’t anoint Griffin anything yet.
The Magic’s Dwight Howard scored 22 points and grabbed 20 rebounds against Griffin on Tuesday night in a blowout victory.
Griffin had 10 points on 33 percent shooting.
Against Pau Gasol and the Lakers, Griffin has shot a combined 13-37 from the field.
He still has a lot to learn when it comes to playing against the top big men in the game.
2. Lingering Questions with His Knee
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Griffin missed the entire 2009-10 season after getting a stress fracture in his left patella in the preseason. He got a left patellar fragment excision on his knee and needed six months to rehab.
The knee has proven to give Griffin no lingering effects, as he has played in every game this season.
But the potential for a new injury is high.
Factor the knee history with his poor free-throw shooting, and teams are going to start fouling Griffin every opportunity they get.
More slaps and pushes for a guy that specializes in high flying above the rim antics?
Injuries could play a big role in his career.
1. Not Even the Best Player on His Team
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Yeah that’s right, check the stats.
Eric Gordon ranks ninth in the NBA, scoring 24.1 points a game. He is making 47 percent of his shots inside the three-point line and 36 percent outside of it.
He averages fewer turnovers per game, is only .15 away from matching Griffin’s block total—and Gordon also swipes 1.2 steals a game.
Gordon is the guy that is trusted to take the last shot in a game and he's only a year older than Griffin.
It’s no coincidence that the Clips are currently 2-6 since Gordon went out with a wrist injury.
The sky is the limit for the powerful and high-flying Griffin. He has burst out onto the scene like few NBA players ever have.
But he has some major flaws in his game that have prevented him from taking his team to the next level. Griffin needs to spend a lot of time in the gym this summer.
