LAS VEGAS -- The shots won’t mean anything once the regular season rolls around. Heck, they won’t mean much tomorrow. But for those chronicling the first few NBA steps of Blake Griffin, those first few steps Monday were memorable.
Griffin drilled his and the Clippers’ first three shots -- a layup, a fall-away bank shot and a 3-pointer -- reminding everyone why no one went higher in the Draft.
“That was great,” Griffin said of the quick seven-point burst to get his coming-out party underway. “That was something I really wanted to do. I really wanted to hit that first layup. I got a layup and it took the edge off a little bit.”
Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy added: “It’s about as good a start as you can have.”
Griffin’s much-anticipated professional unveiling was the feature attraction on the fourth day of NBA Summer League. The buildup justified scheduling the battle of Los Angeles game at the Thomas & Mack Center instead of the cozy COX Pavilion, which had been home to every other contest for the first 3 1/2 days of the annual event.
Don’t think playing in the NBA-sized arena was a nod to the Lakers being in the house. Los Angeles’ more glamorous franchise played its first two games at the 2,500-seat facility next door to Thomas & Mack. The Clippers opened in the big gym and an estimated 3,500 fans witnessed Griffin’s debut.
“I didn’t know how many people were normally at these games,” Griffin said. “I thought it was a good turnout. I think people are excited about our team and hopefully we can keep that going.”
Griffin is the big ticket. The top selection out of Oklahoma is supposed to be the investment that helps turn the notoriously underachieving Clippers around and Donald Sterling can’t ask for a better early return. Noted fan Clipper Daryl even made to trip out to the desert and led fans in a “Welcome to L.A.” chant late in the game.
Griffin’s full arsenal of speed, power, poise and awareness was on full display in the easy 93-82 win. The 6-foot-10 power forward made 11-of-15 shots and added 12 rebounds, doing his damage in 29 1/2 minutes. The only knock after Game 1 -- Griffin was only 4-of-8 from the line.
“This is the first time I played a game in three months or so,” he said. “It’s great to be back out there and shake the rust off a little bit.”
Dunleavy, obviously, didn’t have any complaints.
“For a guy like him it’s hard to have a bad game because he plays so hard and he does so many things,” he said. “He’s very unselfish. He’s going to draw a lot of attention. What he did tonight, he made the plays to the right people at the right time and got them easy scores. I just love the way he plays.”
That jumper the some questioned during an open workout with the Clippers before the Draft sure looked smooth. Dunleavy’s staff has been working with Griffin on his form, adding more arc to the shot and making sure he doesn’t release it on the way down.
“He did everything we expected him to do,” Dunleavy said. “He’s been working like crazy on his outside shot. It’s really been improving.”
Dunleavy is giving his prized rookie the green light from outside. To get that point across, he stopped one of the Clippers’ first practices because Griffin passed up an open jumper.
Dunleavy’s message: “You can’t turn down 17-footers that are open. You’ve shown your ability to make them. It’ll never be questioned. When you’re open, shoot the ball, don’t think anything of it, be aggressive and that’s the way we want to see him play.”
Perhaps the familiarity of Monday’s matchup, from several perspectives, contributed to Griffin’s fast start. Not only is there an understandable motivation to shine against the in-town rivals, but he was guarded by an old college adversary off the bat. The Lakers started rookie center Chinemelu Elonu, a second-round pick out of Texas A&M.
But NBA competition is a far cry from college. In the Western Conference alone, power forwards such as Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, David West, Carlos Boozer, Amar’e Stoudemire, Kenyon Martin and LaMarcus Aldridge roam.
“There’s going to be a learning curve,” Dunleavy said of Griffin. “There’s no question about that, but I think he’s going to be a very productive player for us.”
With the victory comfortably in hand, Griffin even took a charge late. The effort didn’t go unnoticed.
“Right now, just like everybody else, I’m trying to show my coaches and my team what I can do,” Griffin said. “In my mind there is never a bad time to take a charge. That’s the way I’ve been taught to play. I’m not going to stop playing just because we’re up.”
That’s what people will remember.
Griffin drilled his and the Clippers’ first three shots -- a layup, a fall-away bank shot and a 3-pointer -- reminding everyone why no one went higher in the Draft.
“That was great,” Griffin said of the quick seven-point burst to get his coming-out party underway. “That was something I really wanted to do. I really wanted to hit that first layup. I got a layup and it took the edge off a little bit.”
Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy added: “It’s about as good a start as you can have.”
Griffin’s much-anticipated professional unveiling was the feature attraction on the fourth day of NBA Summer League. The buildup justified scheduling the battle of Los Angeles game at the Thomas & Mack Center instead of the cozy COX Pavilion, which had been home to every other contest for the first 3 1/2 days of the annual event.
Don’t think playing in the NBA-sized arena was a nod to the Lakers being in the house. Los Angeles’ more glamorous franchise played its first two games at the 2,500-seat facility next door to Thomas & Mack. The Clippers opened in the big gym and an estimated 3,500 fans witnessed Griffin’s debut.
“I didn’t know how many people were normally at these games,” Griffin said. “I thought it was a good turnout. I think people are excited about our team and hopefully we can keep that going.”
Griffin is the big ticket. The top selection out of Oklahoma is supposed to be the investment that helps turn the notoriously underachieving Clippers around and Donald Sterling can’t ask for a better early return. Noted fan Clipper Daryl even made to trip out to the desert and led fans in a “Welcome to L.A.” chant late in the game.
Griffin’s full arsenal of speed, power, poise and awareness was on full display in the easy 93-82 win. The 6-foot-10 power forward made 11-of-15 shots and added 12 rebounds, doing his damage in 29 1/2 minutes. The only knock after Game 1 -- Griffin was only 4-of-8 from the line.
“This is the first time I played a game in three months or so,” he said. “It’s great to be back out there and shake the rust off a little bit.”
Dunleavy, obviously, didn’t have any complaints.
“For a guy like him it’s hard to have a bad game because he plays so hard and he does so many things,” he said. “He’s very unselfish. He’s going to draw a lot of attention. What he did tonight, he made the plays to the right people at the right time and got them easy scores. I just love the way he plays.”
That jumper the some questioned during an open workout with the Clippers before the Draft sure looked smooth. Dunleavy’s staff has been working with Griffin on his form, adding more arc to the shot and making sure he doesn’t release it on the way down.
“He did everything we expected him to do,” Dunleavy said. “He’s been working like crazy on his outside shot. It’s really been improving.”
Dunleavy is giving his prized rookie the green light from outside. To get that point across, he stopped one of the Clippers’ first practices because Griffin passed up an open jumper.
Dunleavy’s message: “You can’t turn down 17-footers that are open. You’ve shown your ability to make them. It’ll never be questioned. When you’re open, shoot the ball, don’t think anything of it, be aggressive and that’s the way we want to see him play.”
Perhaps the familiarity of Monday’s matchup, from several perspectives, contributed to Griffin’s fast start. Not only is there an understandable motivation to shine against the in-town rivals, but he was guarded by an old college adversary off the bat. The Lakers started rookie center Chinemelu Elonu, a second-round pick out of Texas A&M.
But NBA competition is a far cry from college. In the Western Conference alone, power forwards such as Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, David West, Carlos Boozer, Amar’e Stoudemire, Kenyon Martin and LaMarcus Aldridge roam.
“There’s going to be a learning curve,” Dunleavy said of Griffin. “There’s no question about that, but I think he’s going to be a very productive player for us.”
With the victory comfortably in hand, Griffin even took a charge late. The effort didn’t go unnoticed.
“Right now, just like everybody else, I’m trying to show my coaches and my team what I can do,” Griffin said. “In my mind there is never a bad time to take a charge. That’s the way I’ve been taught to play. I’m not going to stop playing just because we’re up.”
That’s what people will remember.
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