Almost two weeks after officially signing with the Brooklyn Nets, Blake Griffin made his team debut on Sunday in the 113-106 victory over the Washington Wizards. Overall, it was a fairly common performance, as he ended up with a two-point pedestrian, two rebounds and a block in 15 minutes.
However, there was a time when everyone talked. At the start of the fourth period, Griffin received a pass from James Harden at the top of the bracket. He simulated a bomb, left Robin Lopez in the dust and crossed the track for a two-handed blow. The dunk itself was not very impressive, but it was remarkable because it was the first time Griffin dived into a game since December 12, 2019 – 464 days ago.
Griffin’s sudden lack of momentum and athleticism was a big topic of conversation earlier this season, and there were a lot of jokes about how he would suddenly rediscover when he joined the Nets. He didn’t turn into 2012 Blake overnight, but he sure did drop one.
“It was great,” said Griffin after the game. “I knew that, once it happened, it would be one thing, so I tried not to look at the bench when I was coming back down. But then I peeked and saw DeAndre [Jordan] all the way out on the side and everyone standing. So it’s hard not to smile in this situation, but it was good to get that out of the way and move on. “
Griffin is still with a minute restriction, and will be limited to about 15 minutes at least in the next games. Before Sunday, he last played on February 12, so he still needs to work his way back into game form, and Nets will be extra careful, considering his recent knee problems.