featured-image

24 Seconds With…Blake Griffin | 11/30/16

This weekly series from Clippers.com features a Q&A with Clippers players, coaches, alumni or those tied somehow to the Clippers’ organization. The next edition features power forward Blake Griffin. 

NEW YORK – With a sports science and performance team feeding him player data, head coach Doc Rivers knew Blake Griffin would get a night off to rest against the Nets long before the team took off for Brooklyn in the fourth stop of their six-game trip.  

Before the Nets game, he let Griffin know of the decision. After a crazy finish to the double-overtime loss, Griffin talked about the difficulties resting for that Tuesday night game.   

When did you find out you’d be getting the night off?

BG: “Doc mentioned something to me in Indiana. I kind of brushed it off like, ‘There’s no way that’s happening.’ Then, yesterday afternoon, I had to go up to Doc’s room, so I walk in there and it’s like our trainer, our head of player performance, (executive vice president of basketball operations Lawrence) Frank, Doc. It was like I walked into an ambush (smiles). They showed me all the science. (Director of performance) Mark (Simpson) had his little pamphlet ready to go for the argument we were about to have. After a little bit, I just was like, ‘Well, if this is what you think is best for the team, I’m going to do it.’”

Did you try to convince them to play?

“I definitely presented my case. Wasn’t as well-prepared as I would’ve liked to have been... I didn’t have a pamphlet (laughs). I walked in there straight out of the training room. I was frustrated before the game, especially now (after the loss) it’s even worse, but this is what our staff and what our coaching staff and training staff feel is the best thing, and we as players have to do that. Other teams are doing it as well.”