We don’t give Blake Griffin enough credit for his passing ability. Last April, when the Los Angeles Clippers played the Denver Nuggets in Denver, Griffin picked the Nuggets apart with surgical precision, finding cutters and shooters from every position on the court. After the game, I asked Doc Rivers about Griffin’s passes, and he responded by saying he thinks Griffin is one of the best passers in the league at any position.
That’s a little bit of hyperbole, but it’s not that far off. Blake’s not just a gifted passer in the post, he’s got the athleticism, handle and vision to make exceptional passes in any situation. One of the Clippers’ most dangerous plays is the Griffin/DeAndre Jordan pick-and-roll, with Griffin operating as the ballhandler. It leaves defenses with a lose-lose conundrum: Focus on Blake, and he’ll easily lob it to Jordan; commit to Jordan, and Griffin easily saunters down the lane for a bucket.
The above alley-oop is a perfect example of what makes Griffin such a great passer. He’s not some lumbering big on the break, he’s agile and nimble, even with the ball. His tremendous body control lets him contort mid-air, wrapping around Meyers Leonard before lofting a perfect pass to the streaking Jordan. Defenses have seen this play before, and they know it’s coming. They just have yet to find a way to stop it.
