Would Blake Griffin make the Detroit Pistons’ all-time starting five?
By Jacob Warfle
With news of Blake Griffin‘s inevitable departure, he has played his last game for the Detroit Pistons.
This past week, news broke from multiple sources that Blake Griffin and the franchise had agreed that he will be out of the lineup until the team and his representation can work on a resolution for his future.
The Blake Griffin era will end with a trade or more likely a buyout. It is assumed that he will look to land on a contender, in hopes to compete for a championship as he gets older.
Related Story. The one Blake Griffin trade that makes sense. light
It is now time to begin looking back at Blake’s time in Detroit with clearer glasses, this time lined with hindsight.
This begs the question: would Blake Griffin make the Pistons’ all-time starting five?
At first reaction, my hypothesis is “no”. Although Blake came to Detroit as a bonafide star, he simply didn’t have a long enough tenure with the team, and didn’t remain healthy enough, to be considered in the top five Pistons of all-time.
I will say this— Blake came to Detroit and was nothing but professional. He laid his body on the line every season, immediately embracing the culture of the city. It is for this reason, we owe it to Blake to take a closer look at this question.
A big picture look at Blake Griffin’s tenure with the Detroit Pistons
After being acquired by the Pistons at the 2018 trade deadline, Blake Griffin immediately went to work.
The move from Hollywood to Detroit did nothing to Blake’s spirit. In fact, he came in refreshed and ready to go. He played the remaining 25 games, averaging 19.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, and 6.2 apg.
The following season, 2018-2019, is the biggest argument for Blake Griffin on the Pistons all-time starting five. He appeared in 75 games, playing arguably the best basketball of his career.
He averaged 24.5 ppg, 5.4 apg, and 7.5 rpg on .532 eFG%. The biggest improvement in his game was his expanded shooting range, attempting seven threes per game and shooting 36 percent from behind the arc.
Looking back, this may be the most impressive season by a Pistons’ player in the last decade. Blake was named to the All-Star team and was voted All-NBA third team, something that hadn’t happened since Andre Dummond in 2016 and before that, Chauncey Billups in 2009.
It is widely believed that if the Pistons had won a few more games that season, Blake Griffin would have been in the MVP conversation.
The biggest highlight of the 18-19 season was Blake’s 50 point game versus the 76ers in October. This scoring barrage marked a career high for Blake and the sixth highest scoring game by a player in a Pistons’ uniform.
Reminiscent of his entire tenure with the franchise, Blake’s body didn’t hold up as the season came to a close and the Pistons lost in the playoffs to the Milwaukee Bucks in four games (Griffin only appearing in two of them).
Despite the sweep, Blake earned the love of the city by toughing it out in the last two games, eventually earning a standing ovation from the fans.
Unfortunately, the next two seasons for were filled multiple lower-body injuries and setbacks.
Blake has only appeared in 38 games since the legendary 18-19 season. His numbers have seen a dip as well, with his points per game this season dropping all the way to 12.3
It is tough to blame him for this drop in production as his body just hasn’t held up.
As quick as he arrived in Detroit, it looks like Blake Griffin’s days here are numbered. By the time he is moved, he will have appeared in 138 games for the team and only two playoff games.