The NBA's Top Five Up-and-Coming Duos #1: Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon

Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon might only be the second-best sg/pf combo in the City of Angels, but they're quickly turning Clipper Land into a passable purgatory.

Building around Griffin and Gordon, and Los Angeles Clippers are hoping to eschew from the shadows of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and the Los Angeles Lakers this decade.  Although accomplishing the task won't be as effortless as sitting down and watching an awesome Blake Griffin video (that video intro wrote itself), probability is on their side after all these years of futility.

Eric Gordon, left, and Blake Griffin are the future of the Clippers. 

Griffin's dominance was felt immediately during a historic rookie year filled with power dunks and demonstrative rebounds. He averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, and an especially impressive 3.8 assists per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field and drawing tons of fouls with a surprisingly effective back-to-the-basket low-post game.  He cost himself points by missing free throws (64.2 percent made), but he's got a fervent desire to improve.  Karl Malone, a legendary gym rat and self-improver, shot under 60 percent from the free throw line in his first two seasons and finished a career 74.2 percent free throw shooter.

Gordon has arrived with a bit more subtly than his teammate, but going forward, he'll be just as important to L.A.  When EG played last season, the Clippers were 25-31; without him, they were 7-19.  The efficient 22 ppg scorer can shoot the 3-ball (36.4 percent), which spreads the floor for Griffin.  Not content with hanging around the perimeter, he was also adept at taking the ball to the basket and getting to the line.  An underrated ball-handler and playmaker, he averaged 4.4 dimes per game last year as well.  He can play off or on the ball.   

Griffin and Gordon project to be a duo capable of handling the offensive duties of a Western contender.  Currently, Gordon plays solid defense; Griffin plays rookie-game defense, though he's tough on the defensive glass.  Both should morph into solid defensive pieces, and if DeAndre Jordan works on his defense and becomes an interior suppressor, L.A. could have a solid defensive core as well.

The 2012 season- if it ever gets off the ground- could very well be the coming-out party for Griffin and Gordon as leaders of a playoff team.  The two ascending clippers- the dynamic duo of L.A.'s Clippers- the best young pair in the NBA.

An NBA Valentine's Update

It’s the loveliest time of the year.  A new, flying gentleman is making everybody fall in love.  Old mates with transcendent chemistry continue to astound through injury and through health.  A new budding relationship- an experiment of sorts- is starting to sprout into maturity in sunny South Beach.  I’m not talking about Cupid, Bill and Hillary, or whichever pair of celebrities just hooked up in Miami less than one minute ago.  I’m talking about Blake Griffin, the Spurs and Celtics, and the Miami Heat big three of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. 

             

Griffin is truly having a historic rookie season.  He has given the “other team” in L.A. an exciting and marketable player, something the Clippers never, ever, ever get.  The question isn’t whether Blake deserves the Rookie of the Year award; it’s how far did David Stern go to woo Blake to be his 2011 valentine.  Griffin’s explosiveness off the floor when pulling off one of his exciting, made-for-YouTube dunks is only rivaled by the youngest, healthiest versions of Amar’e Stoudemire and Shawn Kemp, yet his play is most reminiscent of a young Charles Barkley.  His penchant for grabbing offensive rebounds off his second-jump has been Round-Mound-of-Rebound-like, his ability to handle the ball in the open floor and pass well as a power forward compares to Sir Charles, and his strength is Barkley-esque.  Unlike Barkley, Griffin has yet to use his well-earned money to play the role of Charley and the Krispy Kreme factory.   He is one of the fittest players in the league and has a strong work ethic.  Barring injury, Blake has a great chance at reaching the maximum of his considerable potential.

             

What about the league’s elderly power forwards- Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan?  Garnett continues to be an intense leader, howling at opposing players smaller than him and burning with as much passion for a February regular season game against the Sacramento Kings as most couples on Valentine’s Day do before- err, you know what.  Despite constant injuries to key players, Garnett’s Celtics continues to dominate, leading the top-heavy Eastern Conference with a record of 39-14.  Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo are possibly the best, most battle-tested core in the league.  Add the league’s elder statesmen, Shaquille O’Neal- aka The Big Valentine- to the mix, and this old group is still a favorite to win the NBA title. 

            

 Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich are another battle-tested championship core.  San Antonio is a league-best 46-9 this season thanks to great health and a change of scheme offensively.  Timmy and Pop (Sounds like the co-captains of a ‘50’s stickball team on your parents’ block, right?) have given the keys to the offense over to Ginobili and Parker, who have opened the offense up.  With a perimeter-oriented attack modeled perfectly for the modern era, San Antonio is having arguably the best regular season success in its history.  Though the defense needs work, the Spurs are back on the radar as legitimate contenders in the Western Conference. 

             

And how’s the South Beach experiment working out so far?  Though they’ve been streaky, the Miami Heat is currently second in the Eastern Conference at 39-15.  They’ve been strong offensively, but what is impressive about them is how menacing they’ve been on defense.  They are currently third in defensive rating (measures points allowed per 100 possessions) as James and Wade have proven to be effective co-anchors within a sound defensive scheme.  James, Wade, and Bosh- “The Superfriends”- have been productive together, but they will need players like Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem to help them in the playoffs if they want to consummate their South Beach-honeymoon season by winning a championship.

Meanwhile, King James’s old beau, the Cleveland Cavaliers, is on the rebound in the worst way.  Wait, scratch that.  They aren’t on any rebound.  Ever.  Cleveland just ended their NBA-record 26-game losing-streak.  They are 9-46.  Their best defender and rebounder, Anderson Varejao, is out for the season with injury.  You don’t know half their roster anymore.  Cavs owner Dan Gilbert definitely felt like the most scorned lover in the history of the world on Valentine’s Day as he remembered the good times his team had with Lebron.  Or maybe he reveled in his millions and took a trip to a warm tropical location.  No, I definitely got it right the first time.

Kobe Bryant’s Lakers have been dominant, yet disinterested with the regular season; you can find them sleep-walking until May.  Orlando’s Dwight Howard has added moves to his post arsenal; hopefully he is comfortable using them in the playoffs.  Derrick Rose has improved by leaps, bounds, jumps, and hydraulic-induced hops and is leading the Chicago Bulls to the top of the Eastern Conference.  Dirk Nowitzki is having another MVP-like season for Dallas.  The Phoenix Suns have struggled a bit, but 37-year-old Steve Nash could not be more vulpine (Dictionary.com word of the day, baby!), cerebrally toying with younger, more athletic players.  And Stoudemire is playing like a superstar for the Knicks despite not having Nash around to create for him, proving he is a dominant offensive player on his own.            

The NBA all-star game and the trade deadline are right around the corner.  Be prepared when Griffin rocks the slam-dunk contest.  Maybe he reads this article and gets inspired to don a cape and be Cupid to fellow big man Dwight Howard’s Superman.  (Wow, even I hope he doesn’t do that.)  Be prepared to be bombarded by talks and rumors of Carmelo Anthony heading to the Knicks. 

There were six decent games on last night.  Unfortunately, the Cavs weren’t playing, so you weren’t able to watch a comedy with your significant other. 

At least there was Blake Griffin on YouTube.  *Heart*