Blake Griffin watches intently as Carmelo Anthony faces up an imaginary defender on the high post. From a picture-perfect triple-threat stance, the Knicks star jabs his right foot forward and dribbles once before dancing back onto his left. “Once you face them, one dribble, step back—boom!” he says to Griffin as he launches a smooth jumper. Swish. It’s day one at the USA Basketball training camp and during a lull in practice, Anthony, the NBA’s most versatile mid-range scorer, has taken it upon himself to share his seemingly limitless offensive arsenal with the 23-year-old All-Star famous for his powerful, soaring dunks. Griffin mimics Anthony and drains a step-back jumper of his own. “Bucket. All day,” Melo says. “They won’t know what to do with that.” Griffin keeps quiet, listening closely to the nine-year veteran. “See, when you face up on the wing, everyone already expects you to go to the basket. They’re backing up off of you so far that if you put the ball down one time and [hesitate], they’re gonna be all the way back at the rim.” Soon Chris Paul comes over to watch his Clippers co-star at work. He knows this is what the young face of the franchise needs, that lessons like this will help the Clippers move deeper into the post-season. “We’re working on his dribble, too,” Anthony explains to Paul as Griffin attempts a series of pull-up jumpers. “If he can come down and hit that, he’s gonna get where he wants to be at.”
In just two seasons, Griffin has established himself as one of the NBA’s marquee attractions. He’s helped the formerly woeful Clippers to just their second playoff appearance in 15 years and averaged more than 21 points and 11 boards a game (the last four players to put up those numbers in their first two seasons? Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon). And he’s done it all relying almost solely on athleticism. But at this point in his career, and especially after another knee injury this summer, the entire basketball world—Griffin included—is in agreement: To reach his full potential and dominate, his athleticism can’t be a crutch, but must instead be the foundation of something more.
The NBA’s best offensive threats are all, in a word, unpredictable. LeBron James can back you down in the paint, facilitate from the high post or get hot from outside; Kevin Durant’s six-foot-eleven frame allows him to shoot over any defender, but he can also break his man down and get to the basket in one dribble; and Anthony can get a shot off in virtually any situation, leaving defenders constantly guessing. On the other hand, after 148 career games, Griffin is an open book: His objective on every play is to get to the rim, whether for a rebound or a violent slam. “What we tell our players is ‘Don’t allow him to get to the basket; no free looks where he can use his athleticism to out-jump you,’” says Toronto Raptors assistant coach Johnny Davis. “We want to make him shoot the ball from the outside and take away his ability to perform at the basket.”
That’s been the scouting report on Griffin since the Clippers chose the high-flyer out of Oklahoma with the No. 1 pick in 2009. That he’s remained productive is a testament to his drive and physical dominance. But last year’s western conference semifinals, Griffin’s first playoff run and the Clippers’ deepest in six years, was a rude awakening. Facing a savvy and deliberate San Antonio Spurs team, Griffin was held to 42 percent shooting (down from 54.9 percent during the regular season) and just 7.75 rebounds. The Spurs easily swept the series as their bigs kept Griffin out of the post and limited his space in the open floor, and his frustration was obvious.
And it’s why Griffin has spent much of the off-season expanding his repertoire, adding moves to counter the defensive tactics employed against him. Then adding counters to those counters. It’s all centred on improving his mid-range game and loosening his stiff shooting mechanics (especially at the free-throw line, where he’s averaged 59 percent). “Right now, when they get him on the block and push him out, defenders put their hands down ’cause they know he’s going to try to dribble to get to the bucket,” says retired all-star Gary Payton. With a reliable 10–12-foot jump shot, defenders will have to bring a hand up, making it easier for Griffin to go around.
Despite the holes in his game, Griffin still brings more to the table than a Red Lobster waitress during Shrimp Fest. He’s an excellent rebounder and a mismatch for bigger, slower forwards, and although he leans too heavily on his awesome physical ability, containing his six-foot-eleven, 256-lb. frame is easier said than done. “He thinks the dunks are cool,” says Los Angeles Times NBA writer Ben Bolch, “but he wants to be known as one of the top all-around players in the league, not just someone who wants to be on SportsCenter, Mozgoving people…”
The hope is that Griffin can become a more cerebral player. “I’m happiest when I see him playing strategically, with and without the ball,” says Clippers big man coach Marc Iavaroni, who has been monitoring Griffin’s off-season training. “When he recognizes he’s being left alone or ganged up on and can react accordingly.”
Though you don’t want to mess with a good thing—and Griffin is just that—when the Clippers landed Chris Paul before last season, the stakes were raised. Sure, as long as those two are wearing the same jersey the “Lob City” identity will exist, but for Griffin it’s not just about highlights anymore. It’s also about reaching his potential as a basketball player, and helping to carry his team deeper in the playoffs. In today’s NBA, the same can be said for a host of other young stars who, like Griffin, left college early and are still basketball infants in many ways. “They’re really just starting their careers in terms of understanding the game, not just playing it,” says Davis. “The smart ones adjust quickly and understand that basketball is more than just running and jumping. There’s actually a strategy to all of this.” The fact Griffin knows that is bad news for his opponents.
This article originally appeared in Sportsnet Magazine.