Lets be real, Blake Griffin's career as we know it is over

aceboon

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Good read

Griffin's Ultimate Sacrifice Deserves Recognition Despite Clips' Demise

LOS ANGELES — Before we allow Blake Griffin to move on from this forgettable season, he should be given a tremendous amount of credit.

That’s right. Griffin might have a thing or two he wishes he did differently in this ill-fated 2015-16 campaign, but he was there for his Los Angeles Clippers team in epic ways that need to be told.

Griffin knew, according to league sources, there was a strong possibility he would re-tear his left quadriceps tendon by playing in the playoffs.

He played anyway.




Jae C. Hong/Associated Press


Griffin could’ve and maybe should’ve undergone the procedure to fix the tendon immediately after suffering the injury on Christmas, according to league sources, but it would’ve ended his Clippers season because of a four- to six-month recovery.

So he tried to strengthen the other areas of his leg, gut it out and heal somewhat to be there, even at a substandard level, for his team’s playoff run.

That’s how much he wanted to capitalize on the opportunity the Clippers had with DeAndre Jordan re-signed to play with both him and Chris Paul, both of whom can opt out of their contracts to become free agents after next season.

Griffin’s decision in December also meant he was knowingly surrendering his chance of playing in the 2016 Rio Olympics, because he was told he would need a significant bone-marrow-injection procedure eventually. If he did it in December and used the NBA season to recover, he could be back for a summer with USA Basketball.

That deep commitment to the Clippers offers an interesting context for Griffin’s heavily scrutinized punch of assistant equipment manager Matias Testi at a restaurant in late January. The punch that broke Griffin’s right hand and turned him into a pariah for indulging in an off-court moment so foolishly.

It’s only fair to understand that when Griffin did that and hurt the team, he was in the midst of putting off the quad procedure in sincere hopes of helping the team.

He had a team-high 17 points Monday night in Portland before he planted for a leap and felt a give. Paul had left the game shortly prior after breaking a bone in his right hand. Griffin stayed in after the leg gave out, moving gingerly for a while before finally leaving with less than six minutes left of what was a 98-84 Clippers’ loss.

The depleted Clippers also lost Game 5 at home Wednesday night to the Trail Blazers, 108-98, moving to the brink of elimination. Paul was on the bench at Staples Center, even doing his customary waves of disdain at referees with his one good hand, while Griffin was not.




Sam Forencich/Getty Images


One could jump to further conclusions about Griffin being a bad teammate or not there for the guys, but again, all is not as it might seem. Griffin was at the game; he just didn’t appear on the bench. Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said both Paul and Griffin had texted every teammate with encouraging words prior to the game and offered more vocal support in person at halftime in the locker room…despite both having texted Rivers with their true sorrowful notes.

Griffin had gone ahead with the non-surgical regenerative procedure for his tendon Wednesday morning. The MRI Tuesday morning confirmed the situation—the team press release merely stated “aggravating the injury to his left quad tendon” and that he was out for the playoffs.

Time had passed for postponing it. There was no hope left.

All the hard work Griffin put in trying to strengthen his leg, initially ineffective but eventually successful to the point where he began believing he could make it through a long playoff run, wound up wasted.

He had come a long way since his first game back three weeks ago, when he was so wary of leaping, he actually thought to himself for the first time ever as an alley-oop pass went up: “Please don’t throw it too high.”

Because he was protecting the quad tendon, Griffin rarely could practice his jump shot to get a feel for how comfortable he was with his healed hand. There was no chance he would be the all-around powerhouse who finished third in the 2014 NBA MVP voting, rose up as the Clippers beat the defending championSan Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2015 playoffs and averaged 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists during the first 30 games of this season.

Were his stubborn efforts trying to salvage 2016 pointless? Not if you ask Rivers.

“I actually thought Blake was about a second away from regaining timing,” Rivers said about Game 4.

Rivers said even he mentioned it mid-game after watching Griffin on the court: “‘Man, you can see him. He’s close; he’s close. He is about to get it going.’ And then, ‘Bam.’”




Steve Dykes/Getty Images


The idea that a fragile Griffin just trying to survive could’ve carried the Clippers to their first-ever title without Paul is unrealistic.

He would’ve tried, though.

If this were some Hollywood script, that happy ending would’ve played out after the sacrifice Griffin privately made with his leg despite receiving such public condemnation for his hand.

He might be a befuddling character on the court with how fearlessly he plays at times while coming across to opponents as a fake tough guy. And this certainly doesn’t change the fact he punched Testi.

Yet Griffin tried. He tried more than anyone knew.

He had to live with the guilt of the punch and the anxiety that his next explosive move would end his season, as it ultimately did. He wanted to play and wanted to be there for his team.

Griffin will be fully recovered for the next NBA season, but he deserves more than that.

He deserves acknowledgement for his determination to persevere in a season that upon first glance just looks like a big mess.
 

MJ Truth

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that ngga never had a true offensive game anyway...his shot is trash...his moves are trash...they just look sensational because of his athleticism...sensational dunks don't win games
Yeah, clearly you don't actually watch the games. Blake's spin move might be the best in the game, he's a very good ball handler and passer for the position, and obviously finishes everything around the rim.
 

YaBoy

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From the davis story:
Davis, now fully healthy, weighs 335 pounds – about 25 pounds heavier than his normal playing weight
This nikka was playing at 300+ when he's only 6'9
I knew he was big, but damn :damn:
No wonder he's so trash
 

Damnshow

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I knew it was over for Blake when reports came out that his hand had actually healed it was still his quad that was giving him trouble...

If your quad hurts you for an entire nba season...something is definitely wrong...

Sad cause dude was really starting to put it together...he can still put it together but he is going to have to play different...

Those lob city days aint ever coming back...
damn....is it that bad? :(

he has a very short wingspan, with athleticism limited this guy is a damaged goods, he will need to improve his jumpshot very very much. Chris Paul needs to leave this team immediately, I don't know how many seasons left on his contract but he has to run away from this franchise, forget about that loyalty shyt, teams like blazers, clippers, bulls just can't handle the players injuries well, you can't let the player go out there on the court if serious injuries did not heal yet, aggravating injury just for the single series. Never understood this shyt how medicle staff can be so careless, fukking dr nick riviera ass medics :mjlol: :mjcry:
 

Mantis Toboggan M.D.

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damn....is it that bad? :(

he has a very short wingspan, with athleticism limited this guy is a damaged goods, he will need to improve his jumpshot very very much. Chris Paul needs to leave this team immediately, I don't know how many seasons left on his contract but he has to run away from this franchise, forget about that loyalty shyt, teams like blazers, clippers, bulls just can't handle the players injuries well, you can't let the player go out there on the court if serious injuries did not heal yet, aggravating injury just for the single series. Never understood this shyt how medicle staff can be so careless, fukking dr nick riviera ass medics :mjlol: :mjcry:
Doctor was probably all "give him a z pak :jawalrus:"
 

NSSVO

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Once PRP injections are brought into discussion, it's over breh.
 

Damnshow

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Doctor was probably all "give him a z pak :jawalrus:"
LOL, and then doc rivers prolly out there, ay give this fool a bottle of henny if that shyt hurts and send him on court, we need to beat these struggle ass blazers :dead:

doctors checking his injury out there "ay blake hold the cigarette for me I gotta check yor knee yahmsayin?" :dead:
 
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