The first photos of Blake Griffin’s broken hand have surfaced and are making the rounds online, courtesy of TMZ. When you look at his hand, it’s still very, very swollen. It does not look like Griffin is coming back any time soon, which should be bad news.
But might the Clippers be better off without their All-Star forward?
Why Blake Griffin For Carmelo Anthony Is A Pipe Dream
DeAndre Jordan Has Been Better
In 30 games with Griffin sharing the frontcourt Jordan averaged 11.1 points and 13.2 rebounds while shooting 70.2 percent from the field on 5.7 attempts. In 17 games without Griffin, Jordan jumped to 13 points, 15 rebounds, 6.8 attempts and 74.1 percent from the field. Without Griffin sharing the same space, he’s been featured more on the offensive end and more involved with Chris Paul in pick-and-rolls. Griffin and Jordan have many redundant skills, and while Griffin has evolved to play more on the outside, he and Griffin have never been an ideal pairing.
Griffin’s absence has also cleared the way for Jordan to pile up even more absurd rebounding statistics.
Blake Griffin's Brand Is More Hurt Than His Hand
The Clippers Keep Winning
The Clippers lost to the Timberwolves Wednesday night, but in the 17 games Griffin’s missed since Dec. 26 Los Angeles is 13-4. With Griffin in the lineup the Clippers scored 102.1 points per game, and outscored opponents by 1.5 points. Without Griffin, the Clippers offense has scored 107.7 points while their opponents’ output has slightly dipped, increasing their point differential to 7.4.
It’s strange to think that losing a player averaging 23.2 points and shooting 50.8 percent from the field can improve an offense by six points, but it may have something to do with the added spacing and 3-point shooting that is necessary to make up for his absence.
They Can Adjust to Playing Smaller
The Clippers can’t give up hope that they’re title contenders, so this period without Griffin will enable them to get more comfortable downsizing at times. They’ll need to be able to do it, since the road to the title most likely leads through Golden State. The increased 3-point shooting is a plus, and it’s also encouraging that their defense did not take a hit, even with decreased size.
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