While he had just chained five “DNP” (Did Not Play) in six matches in February, and that his leaders had gone to seek Mike Muscala, Blake Griffin did not imagine finding a place in the rotation of the Celtics. And yet, Joe Mazzulla has just granted him 17 minutes of play on average over the last three matches. That is to say against the Cavaliers, the Blazers and Saturday against the Hawks.
The former Clippers dunk player is taking advantage of Robert Williams’ injury and Grant Williams’ poor pass, and tonight he was a big part of the win at Atlanta with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 against in 15 minutes. His offensive rebound activity generated additional possessions.
“He took three offensive rebounds, he did a great job in attack on the screen poses” underlines the Boston coach. “There are his little openers to the circle, and he managed a few of them tonight. In defense, his hands are active, and he deflects balls, he touches some, and on both sides, he puts them in play, and we can recover them. I just love that set of mental, physical and emotional toughness he brings to the team. I think he makes other people better when he’s on the pitch. »
And when a reporter asks him why he trusts Griffin right now, Mazzulla insists on that harshness. “It’s his emotional, physical and mental toughness” he repeats. “He has this ability to keep the ball in play, to be tough in the game, whether by causing forceful passages, deflecting balls, recovering balls that drag, taking offensive rebounds, making screens…”
| Blake Griffin | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2010-11 | LAKE | 82 | 38 | 50.6 | 29.2 | 64.2 | 3.3 | 8.8 | 12.1 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 22.5 |
| 2011-12 | LAKE | 66 | 36 | 54.9 | 12.5 | 52.1 | 3.3 | 7.6 | 10.9 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 20.7 |
| 2012-13 | LAKE | 80 | 33 | 53.8 | 17.9 | 66.0 | 2.3 | 6.0 | 8.3 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 18.0 |
| 2013-14 | LAKE | 80 | 36 | 52.8 | 27.3 | 71.5 | 2.4 | 7.1 | 9.5 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 24.1 |
| 2014-15 | LAKE | 67 | 35 | 50.2 | 40.0 | 72.8 | 1.9 | 5.7 | 7.6 | 5.3 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 21.9 |
| 2015-16 | LAKE | 35 | 33 | 49.9 | 33.3 | 72.7 | 1.5 | 6.9 | 8.4 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 21.4 |
| 2016-17 | LAKE | 61 | 34 | 49.3 | 33.6 | 76.0 | 1.8 | 6.3 | 8.2 | 4.9 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 21.6 |
| 2017-18 * | All Teams | 58 | 34 | 43.8 | 34.5 | 78.5 | 1.3 | 6.1 | 7.4 | 5.8 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 21.4 |
| 2017-18 * | LAKE | 33 | 35 | 44.1 | 34.2 | 78.5 | 1.4 | 6.6 | 7.9 | 5.4 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 22.6 |
| 2017-18 * | TED | 25 | 33 | 43.3 | 34.8 | 78.4 | 1.1 | 5.6 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 19.8 |
| 2018-19 | TED | 75 | 35 | 46.2 | 36.2 | 75.3 | 1.3 | 6.2 | 7.5 | 5.4 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 24.6 |
| 2019-20 | TED | 18 | 29 | 35.2 | 24.3 | 77.6 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 15.5 |
| 2020-21 * | All Teams | 46 | 26 | 42.3 | 34.1 | 74.4 | 0.8 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 11.0 |
| 2020-21 * | BRK | 26 | 22 | 49.2 | 38.3 | 78.2 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 10.0 |
| 2020-21 * | TED | 20 | 31 | 36.5 | 31.5 | 71.0 | 0.4 | 4.9 | 5.2 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 12.3 |
| 2021-22 | BRK | 56 | 17 | 42.5 | 26.2 | 72.4 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 6.4 |
| 2022-23 | BOS | 29 | 14 | 49.5 | 36.5 | 62.5 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 4.6 |
| Total | 753 | 32 | 49.3 | 32.9 | 69.6 | 2.0 | 6.1 | 8.0 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 19.2 | |
