DETROIT – All through high school, college and the early stages of his NBA career, Aaron Gordon heard comparisons between himself and Blake Griffin and, on many levels, they seemed to mostly make sense to the Orlando Magic forward.
After all, both players are roughly 6-foot-9, multi-dimensional and multi-positional and are among the most prolific dunkers in the NBA. Adding to the similarities, they both feature all sorts of length and strength and size and rise, allowing them to thrive above and below the rim.
Gordon, however, has never particularly cared for comparisons, proclaiming his individualistic independence while blazing his own path throughout the NBA. So, like alley-oop passes, Gordon has always taken the comparisons to Griffin and summarily dunked them.
``I heard that through high school,’’ Gordon, 23, said of the comparisons to Griffin, 29, who is now in his second season with the Detroit Pistons following a 7 1/2-year run with the Los Angeles Clippers. ``Everybody wants to give that comparison, so they can familiarize themselves because comparisons make it easier for people. But (Griffin) is his own player and so am I.’’
Gordon and Griffin will go head-to-head for a third time this season on Wednesday when the Magic (19-24) face the Pistons (18-24) in Detroit. Whereas Gordon is usually assigned to guard the opposition’s top wing player, he has the defensive versatility to also check a power player such as Griffin. In their two meetings thus far (a 103-96 win for Detroit on Nov. 7 and a 109-107 Orlando victory on Dec. 30), Gordon has held Griffin to 20 and 15 points on 40.7 percent shooting – well below his season averages of 25.4 points per game on 47.7 percent shooting.
``He’s strong, so you know that you’re going to get a wrestling match,’’ Gordon said following Tuesday’s preparations for the Pistons. ``And over the years, he’s developed more skills and has become an all-around player. It’s a fun matchup, so I enjoy it.’’
The Magic, fresh off weekend victories over the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets on back-to-back nights, enjoy it when Gordon plays a starring role for them. In many ways, he has become a barometer for how Orlando is going to play from game-to-game. That’s been something of a tricky proposition this season as Gordon has worked to become more familiar with a role that has seen him be more of a playmaker than ever been at the NBA level.
This season, the Magic are 7-0 when Gordon has scored 22-or-more points and they are 9-2 when he hits the 20-point plateau. His numbers almost across the board are better in the 18 wins he’s played in (18.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 51.8 percent shooting, 46.1 percent from 3-point range and 80.3 percent from the free throw line) than they are in Orlando’s 23 losses that he’s been a part of (13.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 38.6 percent shooting, 28 percent from 3-point range and 65.3 percent from the free throw line).
Gordon’s effect on a game was never more apparent than over the weekend. He had 28 points, 12 rebounds and a blocked shot in the come-from-behind win against the Celtics. Then, a night later, he was at his do-everything best when he contributed 22 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and spot defensive duty against James Harden in a stirring rally past the Rockets. Two other big contributions: He unveiled a new ``Euro-step’’ move that has helped him get to the basket more easily and he sank all 17 of his free throws in those games.
``Right before that (weekend surge), I thought he was (more aggressive) then, too, when he had a stretch over like five games of (six, nine, five, four and four) assists,’’ Magic coach Steve Clifford noted. ``So, it’s been gradual where he’s been driving the ball into the paint, getting to the free throw line and then also creating a lot of shots for his teammates.’’
In some ways, Gordon called his shot, saying after a disappointing loss in Sacramento last week that he had to find ways to be more aggressive and assertive in the Magic offense. Has he ever? In addition to helping Orlando’s offense early in games by picking on smaller defenders in the post, he’s keyed late rallies with his passing and his hard drives to the rim.
``I guess it’s just about understanding where I’m getting my points – it’s in the paint, transition, offensive rebounds and cutting. Those things mean I’m being more active, and when I’m doing that, it’s even better for us and the energy level is there,’’ Gordon said. ``I knew (after his three-for-13 shooting in Sacramento) that I needed to play better. I wasn’t playing good enough for us to be successful. I’m just being aggressive and taking on a little bit more ball-handling and helping us with our offensive energy and pace.’’
Like Gordon, Griffin has been a big-time catalyst for the Pistons, posting better numbers in wins (27 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 50.7 percent shooting) than in losses (24.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 44.9 percent shooting and 5.0 assists) this season.
That certainly proved to be true in the final two games of Detroit’s recently completed four-game, seven-day trip throughout the Western Conference. Back in Los Angeles to face the Clippers for the first time since they controversially dealt him to Detroit midway through last season, Griffin was dynamic throughout, making 13 of 23 shots, five of 11 3-pointers and 13 of 14 free throws in a 44-point, eight-rebound, five-assist, three-steal revenge game that helped Detroit snap a four-game losing streak. Two nights later, however, Griffin seemed to have little pop against the Utah Jazz, making just seven of 17 shots and scoring 19 points in a six-point defeat.
Not that they have patterned themselves after one another in any way, but Gordon and Griffin’s games have taken similar paths over the past five years. While both were thought of primarily as high-flying dunkers earlier in their careers, they have greatly grown their games to fit the modern NBA. Griffin is shooting 36 percent from the 3-point line – a career best based on his number of attempts – while also averaging 5.2 assists (third-best in his career). As for Gordon, both his 3-point shooting accuracy (35.8 percent) and assists (3.3) are career-best numbers.
Maybe, just maybe, Gordon and Griffin are more alike than the Magic forward wants to admit. That’s just fine with Orlando’s Clifford, who admires how both players have continued to chase greatness by continually working on their games.
``I don’t think people always give these guys credit, but the best NBA players keep getting better and better all the time,’’ Clifford said of Gordon and Griffin. ``I know (Gordon) has that mentality, which is critical.’’
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