What Blake Griffin is doing is ridiculous

[Edmond_Sooner]

What in the world is there to hate about Blake Griffin? Has he ever done anything wrong that made the headlines? It seems to me that Blake Griffin is a model player. I am not suggesting the guy is saintly but he seems to keep himself out of trouble both on and off the court. I have never heard him say really arrogant things.

He did play for the SAINTS in high school

 

[Tony]

What in the world is there to hate about Blake Griffin?

Skip Bayless is a professional contrarian. I do not know what he is like in real life, but his television persona is ridiculous. I am certain he does not believe most of the things he says.

The difference between the way he and his brother Rick present themselves to the public is so striking it's often hard for me to believe they are related.

 

[Seymore Cox]

so true, gordon especially. i was critical of him when davis was injured. and rightfully so imo because he was putting up points, but they weren't any better. he was trying to do everything, wouldn't dump it into the post and took bad shots while shooting a poor % from 3. in the last couple weeks, he's accepted the "robin" title and he's playing much better. and the team is finally winning, on the road. 5-5 in their last 10.

blake is raw in his back to the basket game. but i believe his face-up game that we know from his college days is very polished. he would score some buckets in college that seemed a little out of control and wild. i always thought those shot attempts would never have any success in the nba. i was wrong, and his face-up game at this level is as good as any big man's. he's blowing by defenders on the baseline.

his shot is there, and obviously it will continue to get better. but i want to see some baby hooks and quick spin moves in the post immediately after catching the ball, before the double teams arrive. and once defenders respect his low post game, a few mchale up-and-unders will have blake making them look even sillier trying to guard him.

i hope people around the league see more than just his highlights. he does so many little things that turn into big plays. he's also showing more leadership and patience at this level. the only intangible right now is his feel for the low post game. like last night, he had a defender overplaying him on the entry pass. if he senses that, all he's gotta do is turn to the hoop and flush it.

one thing is for certain, he's going to have me buying a few external hard drives over the years in order to download all his games.

wird. Blake is is raw, but he still can outquick or outpower you, and that's huge. What's bigger is he is a pro at reading the double team like you mentioned.

 

[soonertboy824]

what has blake done wrong..didnt he get cited for public urination? haha

 

[SilliSooner]

Bookout actually hit a descent percentage from three point range in high school on a large enough number of shots that it wasn't a complete fluke. I can't remember the numbers but I think he was close to 40% on 50 to 100 attempts. I think that shoulder injury impacted his game a lot but we will never know.

Bookout had a ridiculous 80+ % in FGs in high school.

 

[stoops4pres]

Kevin Love is putting up sick numbers too. Love is nowhere near as exciting as Blake Griffin but he is putting up 20 and 15 while Blake it putting up 21 and 12. One other thing people need to realize about Blake is this is his first season. This is Kevin Love's third season.

There are a lot of really exciting young players in the NBA right now. I was just never a fan of Kobe or Lebron but I like alot of the young guys in the league today.

Although not this quickly, I expected Blake to be this good. I never expected Love to be performing like he is now though. He is a stud.

 

[stoops4pres]

Bayless was basically just trying to say that he's way overhyped. Broussard pretty much crushed every argument he tried to make.

I think Bayless is probably reaching for everything he can think of to detract Blake, since he had made it clear going into the draft that Blake wouldn't be a star. He should just admit he was wrong and get it over with.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Although not this quickly, I expected Blake to be this good. I never expected Love to be performing like he is now though. He is a stud.

Love is good, but he doesn't demand as much attention as Blake. Love is also more of a finished product with his faceup game peaking. Blake draws not only a double team, but a defensive shift, something Love doesn't.

 

[scrybe]

Blake will only continue to get better and better. He's nowhere close to a finished product at this point. He's playing at such a high level because he's the most athletic big man in the NBA (hear that, abd?) and makes the guys trying to guard him look like they should be playing in old-timers' games.

 

[afaSooner]

Sam I'm with ya. I'll even go a step further and say that I hope Oklahoma fans weren't sleeping when the NEXT MICHAEL JORDAN was playing in Norman. Yea I said it.

Color me crazy but I silently thought as much while watching him play here. I'll show my age a bit and tell you that I watched almost Michael Jordan's entire NBA career, and as you'd expect, even modeled my game a bit off his. My parents lived across the street from a park so I'd take my ball over there and shoot hoops till dark. I'd make myself make every shot the first time around the world AND back before I could go home and eat dinner. Man sometimes I'd be freaking STARVING before I got home but nevertheless I'd be home in time to watch my Bulls on WGN (parents had satellite). I wanted to be an NBA player and I knew work ethic was the ticket. Just like Jordan, Blake knows and HAS KNOWN this for a long time and just like Jordan, Blake's competitive spirit, confidence, and leadership is second to no one. The thing with Blake Griffin isn't just his athleticism despite what many said before he played one game in the NBA, no he also has every key ingredient you could ask for THEN some. I saw Michael come into the league and I watched his game develop and watching Griffin develop gives me the same hope and feel that Jordan gave me when watching him compete.

Blake Griffin is taking the NBA by storm in almost the same way Michael Jordan did. I'm sorry if that hurts peoples feelings but having witnessed it in person while many did not, I feel pretty confident about my opinion on the matter.

 

[TheGimper]

B He's playing at such a high level because he's the most athletic big man in the NBA

*coughDwightHowardcough*

 

[IllTemperedSeaBass]

*coughDwightHowardcough*

nice.

 

[runner1182]

soonersam i watch all the games as well and i look for your updates and thoughts are usually right on. love blake and tell my friends almost every other day man u should check out blake's sick dunk!!!

 

[red recluse]

already the best passing big man. gasol is a great passer to guys cutting and diving, but blake finds the open guy, doubled or not. he is their point guard, especially when teams go zone like utah is doing tonight.

 

[JBaker]

*coughDwightHowardcough*

It's close.
I don't think you could clearly say that Howard is clearly a better athlete though.

And look at these stats.

7th year player Dwight Howard:
21.0 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 2.5 bpg

Rookie Blake Griffin:
21.2 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, .6 bpg

 

[Sam]

Dwights advantges as an athlete over Blake are shown on defense (shot blocking manly) but Blake has an edge when it comes to dribbling, shooting etc. I've never seen Dwights grab a board and take it down the court (to be fair I don't watch Dwight like I do Blake). Blake and Dwight are different types of bigs in many ways. Howards could be one of the best defending bigs ever based on the way he is built (wingspan) and the way Blake has started he could turn into one of the most amazing offensive bigs ever. Both are amazing athletes and the only way one could be called better than other is by defining what you want in your big.

 

[Max Power]

Dwights advantges as an athlete over Blake are shown on defense (shot blocking manly) but Blake has an edge when it comes to dribbling, shooting etc. I've never seen Dwights grab a board and take it down the court (to be fair I don't watch Dwight like I do Blake). Blake and Dwight are different types of bigs in many ways. Howards could be one of the best defending bigs ever based on the way he is built (wingspan) and the way Blake has started he could turn into one of the most amazing offensive bigs ever. Both are amazing athletes and the only way one could be called better than other is by defining what you want in your big.

Dwight has done that on a number of times Sam, but in fairness, he is in year 7 of his NBA Career. if we compare Blake to any of his first three years though, Blake is miles better

 

[scrybe]

*coughDwightHowardcough*

The latest abd clone? :ez-laugh:

Seriously though, I don't understand why so many of you get offended when I call Blake the most athletic big man in the NBA? I'm not putting down Dwight Howard, who is big, fast, strong and, yes, very athletic. In fact, I'd agree that DH is probably the most dominant big man in the league today.

But Blake Griffin does things with the basketball that Howard and no other power forward in the league can do. When you look at the total package: his power game PLUS his ballhandling, dribbling and passing skills, it's just amazing what this kid can do. Somtimes he looks more like a point guard than a power forward. In my book, Blake's game defines the term "most athletic."

 

[DenverSooner]

The latest abd clone? :ez-laugh:

Seriously though, I don't understand why so many of you get offended when I call Blake the most athletic big man in the NBA? I'm not putting down Dwight Howard, who is big, fast, strong and, yes, very athletic. In fact, I'd agree that DH is probably the most dominant big man in the league today.

But Blake Griffin does things with the basketball that Howard and no other power forward in the league can do. When you look at the total package: his power game PLUS his ballhandling, dribbling and passing skills, it's just amazing what this kid can do. Somtimes he looks more like a point guard than a power forward. In my book, Blake's game defines the term "most athletic."

Is Lebron a big man? I ask that because he is pretty big but does not play PF or Center. If Lebron is a big, then I would say he and Blake are the two most athletic bigs in the NBA. If not, I would say Blake is the most athletic.

 

[scrybe]

Is Lebron a big man? I ask that because he is pretty big but does not play PF or Center. If Lebron is a big, then I would say he and Blake are the two most athletic bigs in the NBA. If not, I would say Blake is the most athletic.

That's a good point; Lebron is certainly "very athletic." I guess when most people use the term "big man" in reference to NBA players, they are usually referring to power forward or center types. But I agree, Denver, that if consider Lebron a "big," he is right up there with Blake in athleticism.