When Blake Griffin joined the league with the LA Clippers, he was one of the most electric superstars in NBA history. The first overall choice made five All-Star teams with the Clippers and won the Rookie of the Year award in 2010-11. Griffin also dived into the middle of the league and jumped over a car during the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest.
Due to his flying style of play at the Clippers, however, Griffin put a lot of pressure on his knees, which is why the Oklahoma native has had several knee surgeries. Now at the Detroit Pistons, Griffin is a shell of himself and is no longer an effective NBA player. It is sad to see one of the most exciting players in the league’s history barely making it up and down the court.
The Pistons, one of the worst teams in the NBA, recently played against the Miami Heat and Blake Griffin fought hard, so much so that Heat announcer Eric Reid had a 48-minute field day.
Blake Griffin scored five points against the Heat in 35 minutes
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The Pistons lost to the Heat by a final score of 113-107 on Monday. Blake Griffin played 35 minutes and finished with just five points from 2 of 8 pitches. He hit 1 of 6 beyond the hoop and committed three fouls.
During the 2018-19 season, Griffin presented stellar numbers for the Pistons. He averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists when shooting 46.2% of the field, 36.2% beyond the 3-point line and 75.3% from the charity band. The Pistons, which acquired Griffin from the Clippers in 2017-18, finally had a franchise player to build.
Unfortunately, Griffin’s high usage rate was not good for his knees. He suffered an injury to his left knee and was only able to play in two playoff games against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019 postseason. After the Pistons were wiped out in the first round, Griffin underwent surgery on his left knee.
During the 2019-20 season, Griffin appeared in just 18 games before going under the knife again. His left knee was still aching, and the former champion decided to have end-of-season surgery. Any injury Griffin suffered towards the end of the 2018-19 season was the end of his career for him, as he was unable to recover.
Usually, the TV announcers of the opposing team try to say some good things about the players who are watching on the other team. However, the legend played by the Heat, Eric Reid, did not follow that protocol on Monday against Blake Griffin and the Pistons.
Eric Reid baked Blake Griffin nonstop during the Pistons-Heat game
Heat announcer Eric Reid chased Blake Griffin nonstop during Miami’s victory over Detroit on Monday. From pointing out how Griffin couldn’t post Duncan Robinson to calling the Pistons an “old 31”, Reid did not shy away from roasting Griffin at every step.
Reid highlighted how Griffin was “camped on the 3-point line” and could not do anything else at one point in the game. He was destroying Griffin throughout the contest, and some Heat fans wondered if the veteran TV personality had a personal agenda against the former Clippers star.
In 10 games this season, Blake Griffin has averaged 12.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He is shooting 38.3% from the ground, 31.0% beyond the arc and 67.9% from the free-throw line. Griffin is earning $ 36.6 million from the Pistons. He has the worst NBA contract.
No team will exchange for a failed player with a monster contract
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The Pistons will not find a business partner for Blake Griffin. They are stuck with him, probably for another year after this season too. Griffin has a $ 38.9 million player option for 2021-22, and he will certainly take it, as he doesn’t get that kind of money on the open market.
Injuries have robbed basketball fans of watching Griffin play at an elite level near the end of his career. It’s been really hard to watch, especially since Griffin is a great guy and teammate.
Statistics are courtesy of the Basketball Reference.