Blake Griffin is arguably playing the most dominant individual basketball of any player in the playoffs thus far. Griffin put up his first three career playoff triple-doubles in just the last eight games he’s played so far in this postseason, including in the Clippers’ Game 1 conference semifinal win against the Houston Rockets on Monday night. He’s had a double-double in all eight games of the postseason.
It took Griffin and the Clippers seven games to strike down the mighty defending champion San Antonio Spurs in one of the most epic first round playoff series ever. For Griffin, it was also about taking down the greatest power forward of all time in Tim Duncan.
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports that Griffin became a sponge when given the chance to learn from Duncan last summer:
Last summer, (Duncan) gave Griffin, a 26-year-old, five-time All-Star, his blueprint — only to watch Griffin ultimately embrace it at the Spurs’ expense.
Produce, Duncan told him. Lead by example. Make people respect your actions. Have personal relationships with each of your teammates so you can have one-on-one conversations with them when they need you. Griffin listened, and took notes. Then, during the idyllic summer months in LA, it was time to execute the plan.
Berger’s piece also cited Griffin’s methodical work out regimen last summer, coming off of the Clippers’ conference semifinal loss at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Duncan’s advice to Griffin had to be invaluable. Those pieces of advice are about character and leadership, traits attributed to Duncan over his career with the Spurs, and traits that Griffin was clearly interested in developing. We specifically saw Griffin’s improved leadership on Monday night when the Clippers stole Game 1 in Houston without Chris Paul. Matt Barnes said Griffin is the Clippers’ best player.
With more confidence from his teammates and in his own leadership in these playoffs, that talk with Duncan certainly made its mark.
