Evaluating Blake Griffin’s preseason debut with the Boston Celtics
As the Boston Celtics coasted to a 112-103 victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, there is one player who made his debut for the team: Blake Griffin. For 16 minutes of action, Griffin scored seven points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out two assists in his preseason debut as a Celtic.
Griffin was very effective setting screens for his teammates. With his tough and physical frame, Charlotte’s players had a hard time getting past him. This allowed Boston’s shooters to have more time and space to knock down their shots from the perimeter, propelling great scoring opportunities as a result.
Where Griffin struggled most was his shooting. Besides making all four of his free-throw attempts, he shot 1/6 from the field including 1/4 from the 3-point line. While that can be chalked up to getting used to the Celtics’ system and not having the shooting rhythm yet, he must make sure to be more accurate with his shot selection once the regular season comes around. Last year with the Brooklyn Nets, Griffin averaged a career-low 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 56 appearances for what was an up-and-down season in terms of playing time.
What Blake Griffin’s role will look like on the Boston Celtics
How Blake Griffin played in his debut indicates what his role will look like for the Boston Celtics this season. He will be active in the pick-and-roll, helping the team’s shooters get more space for their shots and create easy shots inside the paint since opposing defenders will be focused on limiting Boston’s shooting ability.
While Griffin’s playing time will likely change as the season goes on, especially when center Robert Williams III returns from knee surgery, he will be important to how Boston manages the start of their campaign with a depleted frontcourt.
Even though Griffin’s best playing days from his time with the Los Angeles Clippers are over, if he can consistently play as a physical body inside the paint and handle tough matchups on defense while being a solid pick-and-roll option and knocking down the occasional 3-pointer, the Celtics have a great frontcourt option off the bench that will only make them stronger for the regular season.