Rowan Kavner
PLAYA VISTA, Calif. – Blake Griffin can be welcomed back to the Clippers and the weekly top five list.
Griffin made his return Sunday against the Rockets, posting 11 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. That game earned him one spot on the top five list, while DeAndre Jordan made it for his work both inside and out.
Here’s the top five plays from a week that included games against the Timberwolves, Thunder, Mavericks and Rockets.
5) Griffin finds Big Baby on the break
Blake Griffin returned to the Clippers’ lineup Sunday against the Rockets and finished two assists short of a triple-double. It wasn’t his normal scoring output, but one of Griffin’s greatest traits is his ability to facilitate. Here, he runs the break, goes behind the back, stalls in the air and buys enough time to get an open lane for Glen Davis to finish.
4) Paul puts the brakes on Ibaka
It’s a move Paul’s been featuring more of, but it doesn’t make it any easier to prepare for. Paul sees an open lane and Ibaka tries to cut him off, but Paul stops on a dime. Ibaka gets off balance, leaving Paul enough room for the jumper.
3)The lob, the jam from Paul to Jordan
Sometimes, DeAndre Jordan doesn’t even need to set the pick for the lob and the jam to work. He played above the rim all night against Minnesota, this time jogging over to set the pick before darting to the rim instead, leaving enough room for Paul to hit him on the lob and draw the foul with the jam.
2) Another thunderous finish from Jordan
The Timberwolves had their hands full stopping the lob to Jordan. That began early, and Jordan’s vicious one-handed finish in the first quarter off the pass from Paul was his best of the day.
1) Jordan hits his first career 3-pointer
Typically, if Jordan’s on a highlight-reel it’s because of something inside the paint. But the big man’s first career 3-pointer as the shot clock went down to score the Clippers’ first points against the Mavericks was worthy of a top spot. Jordan then jogs back down the court grinning the whole way.
