It has been a terrible start to the season for Brooklyn Nets big man Blake Griffin.
After being bought out by the Detroit Pistons last year and rejuvenating his career in a spark-plug role for the Nets, Griffin’s production has completely dipped through 17 games.
Last year, Griffin averaged 10.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 49.2% overall and 38.3% from deep, playing a key role in Brooklyn’s five-out offense headlined by Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
This year, however, he has failed to find the rhythm that helped him thrive. Griffin is now averaging 5.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 31.8% shooting overall and 16.1% from long range.
The 32-year-old big man’s play has forced head coach Steve Nash to drop Griffin from the rotation, which has been difficult news to swallow for the former six-time All-Star and 2009 No. 1 overall pick.
Griffin reached out to Los Angeles Lakers center DeAndre Jordan, who had also gone from starter to dropped last year for the Nets, for advice on the matter, via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN:
“I have seen [and] have had great examples,” Griffin said. “DeAndre last year, he is a guy that I talked to that reached out. A lot of the guys from last year reached out. He did a really great job with it. I told him that. That is how I am going to try to do it as well.
“Just be a professional and do exactly what you are supposed to do,” Griffin added of what message his former teammates told him. “It may sound like not good advice, but in this situation, everybody always needs to hear the right thing.”
The Nets are still the top team in the Eastern Conference, but it’ll be interesting to see if Griffin can rebound from this setback. He did it last year, and now his teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, who went from retired with a heart issue to a critical piece on a contending team, is doing it this year.
Jordan is also a key piece for the Lakers because of injuries and lack of frontcourt depth.
Does Griffin have enough in the tank to do it again?
