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24 Seconds With … Blake Griffin

Rowan Kavner

This weekly series appearing Tuesdays on Clippers.com features a Q&A with Clippers players, coaches, alumni or those in the basketball community. The next edition features Blake Griffin.

PLAYA VISTA, Calif. - Blake Griffin isn’t slowing down as he tears into the 2015-16 season.

The Clippers’ power forward has at least 20 points, six rebounds and six assists in each of his last three games. The two games before that, he recorded double-doubles both times.

He’s scored at least 20 points 15 times this season, ranks first in the league among players with at least 250 field goal attempts with a 54.1 field goal percentage and leads the league in made two-point field goals.

Here’s what Griffin talked about following a 23-point, eight-rebound, six-assist night against Portland.

What’s happening to cause the positive change defensively?

BG: “We’re doing a great job of being pulled in. Guys are trusting each other, executing our defensive game plan. Even when we’re not making shots, we’re not letting our offense dictating our defense. That’s always a positive. We still have a lot of things we can get better at and improve upon, but it’s a good place to start.”

What did you think of all the intentional fouling down the stretch?

BG: “It obviously messes up the flow. I don’t know exactly how much we were up when it started. But the great thing about it was we were getting one point pretty much every time and stopping them at the other end. As long as that happens, we’re good with it. We’re fine with it.”

What do you think of the job Luc Mbah a Moute and Lance Stephenson have done defensively recently?

BG: “Luc is such a tough defender and just kind of knows his role offensively and knows exactly what to do. Defensively, he can guard so many positions. Lance, when he’s bouncing around out there and playing with that kind of energy he did (Monday), it’s huge. When those two guys are good defensively, that takes us to another level, and they’ve been great over the last two or three games. That’s the kind of output we need from them on the defensive end.”

What’s the biggest change for you when Chris Paul is out?

BG: “Being a facilitator, but also not letting that take you out of your offensive game as far as scoring. With CP out, he always has the ball and he’s always calling plays and getting us into sets. A lot of times, I try to take on a little bit of that. But we have guys capable of stepping up and doing those things as well. I try not to mentally change my role.”