Is Blake Griffin the #1 PF

[e_blazer]

These kind of threads always remind me of dick measuring contests, but without the objectivity.

 

[riverman]

So now we can't say Blake is better than LMA without being told to leave and join the Clippers board? come on now



Blake gets more calls because most of his play is inside where you will get hammered on much more regularly and get fouled more. LMA doesn't get as many calls because much of his game is in the midrange and you just don't get fouled there as much. Griffin is shooting nearly 10 points higher than LMA this year. Blake has 24.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.5 apg on 53% shooting compared to 23.9 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.8 apg on 46% shooting for LMA.

I think you misunderstand me here. I said the thread title is OT and it is. I agree with cmeese that Griffin was better than LA last night. There are other forums for this discussion. The board could just fill up with LeBron, Kobe, Melo, etc discussions but we have a thread for those purposes...around the nba

 

[cmeese47]

Blake has also vastly improved from the free throw line especially from his sophomore slump year at a pathetic 52%. I think it is fair to say his game has certainly elevated from just being a dunker. I am not one to call him the smoothest PF in the game but right now I believe he is the best. Also I believe LA needs a little more Griffin in his game, dunk on some folks get on ESPN and play in the paint and then tell me if you do not start getting some super star calls too.

 

[cmeese47]

I think you misunderstand me here. I said the thread title is OT and it is. I agree with cmeese that Griffin was better than LA last night. There are other forums for this discussion. The board could just fill up with LeBron, Kobe, Melo, etc discussions but we have a thread for those purposes...around the nba

The difference between those and this forum is Griffin, LA, Love is a legit debate.

Batum vs Lebron not even remotely close or worth discussing.

Some discussions and comparisons are worthy like this one and Lillard vs. Irving etc.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I think you misunderstand me here. I said the thread title is OT and it is. I agree with cmeese that Griffin was better than LA last night. There are other forums for this discussion. The board could just fill up with LeBron, Kobe, Melo, etc discussions but we have a thread for those purposes...around the nba

This thread is clearly to talk about Griffin in comparison to Aldridge, which is clearly not off topic.

 

[Sinobas]

Love, Nowitski, Griffin and Anthony Davis are better than LaMarcus. All this talk about LaMarcus being #1 was just hype.

 

[STOMP]

Considering LA was nursing a sore groin, I think he drastically overachieved last night.

bingo! Blake has had a great year no question and his outside shot and FT% improvement are impressive. But LA clearly was hobbled the last few games with the groin. Health hiccups aside, I'd rate LA as the game's #1 PF... + he's usually feasted vs Blake. BG doesn't have the size/length to contest LA's shot which is the downside of his game in general.

STOMP

 

[cmeese47]

LA according to VORP is only shooting 38.2% on jump shots in the last month and only 39.3% overall. That has to improve or he needs to stop taking so many simple as that.

 

[HailBlazers]

Health hiccups aside, I'd rate LA as the game's #1 PF... + he's usually feasted vs Blake. BG doesn't have the size/length to contest LA's shot which is the downside of his game in general.

Spot on, everybody always overlooks defense. Notice how BG rarely guarded LA, but most everytime LA guarded him he was unable to score. LA owns him one v one.

 

[ponderguy]

Spot on, everybody always overlooks defense. Notice how BG rarely guarded LA, but most everytime LA guarded him he was unable to score. LA owns him one v one.

not true. http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=griffbl01&p2=aldrila01
In their ten career games Griffin has a better ppg with a lower fga, rpg, apg, free throws attempted, fg%, 3 point%, spg. LMA leads in bpg and fewer turnovers, that's it.

 

[e_blazer]

LA according to VORP is only shooting 38.2% on jump shots in the last month and only 39.3% overall. That has to improve or he needs to stop taking so many simple as that.

Nothing with as many moving parts as a basketball game is ever as simple as that. The Blazers' offense is built around LA. The perimeter opens up if he's making his shots and the other team is forced to double. If he stops shooting, then the rest of the offense tends to dry up.

 

[cmeese47]

Nothing with as many moving parts as a basketball game is ever as simple as that. The Blazers' offense is built around LA. The perimeter opens up if he's making his shots and the other team is forced to double. If he stops shooting, then the rest of the offense tends to dry up.

I would never want him to stop shooting but he is too talented to just settle for 19 foot jumpers all the time

 

[HailBlazers]

not true. http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=griffbl01&p2=aldrila01
In their ten career games Griffin has a better ppg with a lower fga, rpg, apg, free throws attempted, fg%, 3 point%, spg. LMA leads in bpg and fewer turnovers, that's it.

You missed a huge one, FT%. 80 to 64. But that's beyond the point I was making.

One on one, mano e mano (when one is guarding the other and vice versa), LA has the edge, and there are no stats specifically for that, only the eye test.

I would never want him to stop shooting but he is too talented to just settle for 19 foot jumpers all the time

Absolutely agree.

 

[ponderguy]

You missed a huge one, FT%. 80 to 64. But that's beyond the point I was making.

One on one, mano e mano (when one is guarding the other and vice versa), LA has the edge, and there are no stats specifically for that, only the eye test.

Because Griffin has attempted 79 free throws versus only 25 for LMA. Aldridge is shooting a much better ft % but in this case it doesn't matter because Griffin gets so many more FTA. I don't know the stats for one on one, i believe you can get those with a paid account with synergy, but you have to imagine they square off a fair amount playing the same position.

 

[STOMP]

not true. http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=griffbl01&p2=aldrila01
In their ten career games Griffin has a better ppg with a lower fga, rpg, apg, free throws attempted, fg%, 3 point%, spg. LMA leads in bpg and fewer turnovers, that's it.

re-read what you were responding to as you missed HailBlazers point. He said Blake rarely guards LA one on one, which is true as Doc puts De'Andre on him more times then not and is quick to send the double when he is matched up on him. In general Blake is a below average Big on D, struggling both one on one and as a help defender. I can recall several Clips/Blazers games where Blake had great stat lines overall, but come winning time in the 4th LA more or less closed shop/shut him down. I'd welcome seeing these teams matchup in the playoffs

STOMP

 

[riverman]

I think something ignored here about Blake is his highlight reel style of play. More often than not, these guys get injured and their knees take a pounding. LaMarcus has seen enough to pace himself and learned to stay healthy. LA will have the longer career. Just my opinion. Time will tell. When Griffin has twice as many years in the league we'll see how he holds up and sorry, he's not even close to LaMarcus on defense.