Blake Griffin did not get involved during Brooklyn’s thumping of the Boston Celtics on Wednesday by not even logging one minute. Usually, the veteran would start games at the five for the Nets. The former Piston plays about 22 minutes a game this season while Aldridge averages 22 minutes as well despite only starting his first game on Wednesday.
When Nets head coach Steve Nash has to choose between the two on who would close out games, Aldridge always prevails. The former Texas Bulldog has logged 106 minutes in the fourth quarter while Griffin has only played 35 minutes in these closing periods as a starter most of the time. With all this experimenting going on, the thought of Blake Griffin not having a role for this team could inevitably pop up. Kevin Durant made sure to clear that after beating the Boston Celtics.
“We’re going to need all our bigs for the whole year. No matter what. I know Blake (Griffin) was in there, but we need him to stay ready if we want to be the team we want to be.”
There is still room for the former Sooner to contribute although he is not a starter anymore. Unsurprisingly, Griffin is still the league’s leader in charges drawn with 12. Especially in the clutch, the veteran is a huge threat to opposing teams because of this ability, forcing them to overthink certain moves and plays.
BLAKE GRIFFIN DRAWS THE CHARGE
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No matter what happens, Griffin just has to get his shot back. The Nets won’t need it that much until the playoffs, but the 33-year-old is a liability offensively without his shot. He’s still shooting it at 16% from three and a career-low 32% from the field. Aldridge not only has a shot, but he brings other elements of his game on the offensive end that Griffin can’t provide. It was only a matter of time before Nash gave him the starting role with the former Piston shooting like this.
