Blake Griffin is the man who changed the Clippers’ culture. Aside from the 2006 playoff run, the Clippers were an afterthought in the NBA. Not every Clipper team was bad, but that was the stigma surrounding the franchise. But, things changed when they drafted Blake Griffin, who was the top college prospect in the draft. He went to the Clippers with the top pick, but got injured during the preseason.
Soon, the Clippers traded for Chris Paul and with Blake Griffin, they formed the NBA’s most-exciting duo. From 2012-2017, the Clippers were always among the best teams in the league. They never won fewer than 53 games. This span of time saw the Clippers build rivalries with the Warriors, Grizzlies, Thunder, and Rockets, due to their playoff clashes.
In 2017, the Clippers decided to pull the plug on the team, trading Griffin and Paul. Eventually, Chris Paul rejuvenated his career, helping lead the Phoenix Suns to the Finals. Meanwhile, Blake Griffin has become a role player for the Brooklyn Nets. Last night, Griffin visited his former team, which had a successful season, last season, losing to Paul’s Suns, in the Western Conference Finals.
Blake Griffin returned to LA, to face the Clippers, as a member of the Brooklyn Nets. After a slow start, the Nets are the top team in the East. On the other hand, the Clippers are only a .500 team, decimated by injuries, and stunned by the strong play from the Warriors, Suns, Jazz, and Grizzlies. Griffin returned to the Lob City era, throwing down a monster dunk, during the Nets’ 124-108 victory.
