By: Faisal Quyyumi, contributing intern After constantly improving his game since entering the NBA, last season, Blake Griffin saw a slight dip in his numbers. This could be a cause of Doc River’s coaching style who is understanding and lets players be who they are on the court. However, despite his decrease statistically, he proved to be more effective, which helped lead him to being the 8th most efficient in the league last season after previously being ninth. And after being a top candidate for MVP last season, Blake Griffin picked up exactly where he left off last night. At 26 years of age, Blake Griffin has the most potential in the league (after Anthony Davis, respectively) to become one of the most unstoppable forces for the next decade. Throughout the 2014-2015 season, Griffin took more control of his shot selection and decided to take less attempts from three-point land and decided to focus more on his mid-range game. He shot above forty-percent last season from mid-range, above sixty-percent from the paint, and exactly forty-percent from three-point land. At six-feet ten-inches, and about two hundred sixty pounds, it’s quite easy for Griffin to bully his opponents into the paint. During the playoffs, he recorded three triple-doubles and averaged twenty-five and a half points, thirteen rebounds, and six assists during the post-season. Also, Coach Doc Rivers places players in a position that doesn’t always help them succeed individually, but rather, as a team. Last night Griffin flirted with a double double scoring thirty three points (70% FGP) and grabbing eight rebounds in the Clippers season opener against the Sacramento Kings. George Karl started the game by putting the seven-foot Grecian, Kosta Koufos and made Blake Griffin look like the most unstoppable player in the NBA today. When Koufas would stay in the paint, Griffin would make him pay by hitting jump shots and once Koufas decided to contest his shots, Griffin would blow right by him and finish at the rim. After a substitution the smaller Rudy Gay was tasked to shut him down but was absolutely lost after pick-and-rolls were set for Griffin. The end result of the Kings defense was that Griffin scored basically from everywhere on the court, except beyond the arc. After often being criticized for only being able to dunk, Blake Griffin has relentlessly worked on his post moves, ball-handling, jump-shot, and overall intelligence on the court. With Chris Paul running the offense, the dynamic duo of both of them will be tough to defeat throughout the season and even harder once the playoffs start.
