Blake. Griffin used to be a very popular player.

Well, ever.

Back in that sunny California, Griffin's first year of his rookie season amazed everyone.

In that relegated rookie season, Griffin averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. What is this concept? The last rookie to score higher than him was the great Tim. Duncan, the last rookie with more rebounds than him, was O'Neal, one of the greatest giants in NBA history.

Not only that, but Griffin's dunk stunned all the fans, and he was a regular in the daily top 10 for almost the entire season. And in Los Angeles, a city with great exposure, Griffin's high hopes and boasting at that time would not lose to the "pride of the sky" James at that time, and the Clippers also cultivated him as the absolute core of the future.

In addition, Griffin also became the first and last player after Duncan and Yao Ming to be selected for the All-Star Game in his rookie season, and he also won the slam dunk contest during All-Star Weekend.

Throughout his rookie season, Griffin dunked 204 baskets and recorded a 27-game double-double streak. His style of play is brutal and very ornamental, and the stats are very good. Everyone thought that Griffin would be synonymous with a championship and a superstar in the future.

However, the development of the story is very different from what one might think. During the eight years with the Clippers, Griffin's team was treated as a Western Conference powerhouse every year. But every year, the Clippers go out disappointingly early in the playoffs.

In the 2015 Western Conference semifinals, the Clippers were reversed with a 3-1 lead over the Rockets. Since then, Blake. Griffin was in doubt.

He began to be perceived by fans as not improving, with a low ceiling. The lack of arm span has also become the reason why he is often ridiculed. Even his dunks began to be questioned in various ways, and fans said that his slam dunk was too big, and it was a complete foul action.

What really brought Griffin off the bench was his on-court performance and glass attributes, as he suffered some untimely injuries in the final two years of the Clippers, and he watched the Clippers go out of the first round for two consecutive years on the bench.

As injuries continued, Griffin's highlights became less and less. At the same time, in a big city like Los Angeles, there are more and more lace news about him off the field, and fans naturally dislike him.

As a result, just after Griffin had just signed a big contract with the Clippers and had some "mock retirement ceremony" with the Clippers, he was suddenly traded before the trade deadline.

Without any advance notice, Griffin was abandoned. Moreover, he was thrown to the Detroit Pistons, a place where even the city led the team extremely down.

It was only then that it dawned on Griffin.

He is no longer the "pride of the sky" he was at the beginning, and he has disappointed the Clippers so much that he would rather trade him. He has fallen out of the ranks of superstars, and if he doesn't work hard, he will be with Reggie. Jackson, like Drummond, has been rotten in this part of Detroit for the rest of his life.

Until one day he couldn't continue to race in the field, and then retired in bleak silence when no one remembered him.

As someone who had a dream start, Griffin naturally didn't want that to happen. So, he was in Detroit and began his own path of rebirth.

This season, Griffin began to metamorphose. At the beginning of the new season, Griffin tested his skills in front of the 76ers and Embiid.

He taught Embiid a good lesson for the rising man with an extremely versatile performance, and Griffin contributed a big double-double of 50 points and 14 rebounds in the game, shooting 5-of-10 from three-point range. And in the last 1.8 seconds of the game, Griffin also completed a beautiful stunner.

From that game on, Griffin was out of control.

This season, Griffin is averaging a career-high 24.5 points per game. He shot a whopping 36.8 percent from three-point range, the second-highest in his career.

But you have to know that Griffin shot a career-high 40 percent from three-point range that year, and he averaged just 0.4 three-pointers per game! Such a small sample of data has no reference value at all. And this year, Griffin averaged 7 three-pointers per game!

So it's not an exaggeration to say that this year is the season with the highest three-point shooting percentage for Griffin.

On top of that, Griffin is averaging 5.4 assists per game. On the basketball court, he has gone from showing off his lame dribbling at the beginning to being able to really handle the ball now.

Although the Pistons have only eighth-place record in the East this season, they were unlucky to meet the Trail Blazers in the first round. But Griffin won't give up so easily, his goal is simple, win the Pacers once!

Even if it was just once, he was satisfied.

So, in an interview with reporters at the Indianapolis airport the day before the playoffs, Griffin also expressed his determination, "We're here to win." Anything other than a win is a failure. ”

No one thought that Griffin would be so tough. In most people's minds, Griffin is still the All-Star fringe player, or the declining player who was planted under the Kardashian woman.

But in fact, the current Griffin has been reborn.

Henson is also well aware of this, in fact, Blake. Griffin is one of Henson's most lamented players this year. He has finally matured, but he does not have as much exposure and team configuration as he did at the beginning. At his peak, he had the worst resources of his career.

However, Griffin has always been an opponent, and while he admires this nirvana-reborn guy, it doesn't mean that Henson will allow Griffin to play dominantly on his home turf.

Henson wants a 4-0, a sweep, an easy win! He doesn't allow the slightest accident in the game against the Pistons!

So, Henson made a special confession to Antetokounmpo the day before the game started, "Boy, tomorrow's game, I hope you are the superstar who controls the whole game." ”

Antetokounmpo nodded knowingly, and then began defensive and offensive drills in the confrontation on the training ground. Tomorrow, he'll take care of Blake. Griffin's.

After all, this year, Antetokounmpo is the biggest favorite for the MVP candidate. This Greek is the candidate for the first striker in the league today!

But the media was visibly moved by Griffin's remarks, especially some local media outlets in Detroit. Somehow, they actually came up with the idea that "the Pistons might really bite off a layer of skin on the Pacers".

So during the afternoon media session, countless reporters poured into the training hall to ask Henson what he thought of Griffin's remarks.

Henson disagreed.

"I respect Blake and I'm well aware of his quality. But you're going to ask me about my goals? It's simple, 4 to 0. ”

Many people thought Henson was just joking, after all, Griffin had already shown his determination. As long as Griffin breaks out in a game and scores the likes of 50+ points, it's not impossible to win one game against the Pacers.

And with Griffin's current ability and mentality, he definitely has the potential to play such a game.

So, after hearing Henson's answer so arrogant, a reporter who came all the way from Detroit asked indignantly.

"I know the Pistons' record this season isn't comparable to that of the Pacers. But I have to warn you, Coach Henson. Blake. Griffin is one of the league's best forwards this season. You'd better not think of the piston too simply. Maybe the Pistons won't be able to beat you, but they can certainly cause your team huge problems. ”

"The best striker? Well, tomorrow I'll show you how the best forwards in the league play. ”

Far from being intimidated by the reporter, Henson laughed playfully. He then patted the Detroit reporter on the shoulder. This guy probably doesn't know how huge the gap between the Pistons and the Pacers is.

If Henson had to say it, it would be about the size of O'Neal and Barkley combined......