ShareThisLos Angeles Clippers phenom Blake Griffin so far is an easy choice for NBA Rookie of the Year.
The former University of Oklahoma standout also should be considered a heavy favorite to win the NBA slam dunk contest during All-Star Weekend (Feb. 18-20) on his home floor at Staples Center.
Griffin leads all rookies in scoring (10.2), rebounds (11.8), double-doubles (11), and is second in minutes played (36).
Last Wednesday, even though Griffin had played just 15 career games at that moment, ESPN SportsCenter already had assembled a Top-10 highlight reel of Griffin's best dunks as a pro, the top two coming against the New York Knicks.
Griffin does have a shortcoming, however. The same thing that bit him at Oklahoma continues to bite him in the NBA - free throw shooting. He shot 58.9 percent at the line with the Sooners and is shooting 57.2 percent with the Clippers.
FLYNN RECALLS GRIFFIN ENCOUNTER
During an NCAA Sweet 16 game on March 27, 2009, in Memphis, Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn had a brief on-court chat with Griffin, who was one week away from being unanimously named national player of the year.
"We were down 20," recalled Flynn, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft who is overcoming a hip injury with the Minnesota Timberwolves. "I told him, 'Man, if I get a lane, I'm going to try to get you, and I did.'"
Despite having injured his back earlier in the game, the 6-foot Flynn drove down the center of the lane and took flight with 8:14 left and missed a one-handed dunk off the heel of the rim. Oklahoma got the long rebound and Griffin dunked at the other end five seconds later.
"We had a little laugh afterward," Flynn said. "He had a monster game against us. We just caught them at the wrong time."
Flynn finished with 22 points and six assists, but the Sooners won handily 84-71 behind 30 points (12-of-15 shooting from the field), 14 rebounds and three assists from Griffin, plus a stunning 28-point effort from junior Tony Crocker.
The affable Flynn said he had no doubt Griffin would excel in the NBA. "He plays with such a reckless abandon when he hits the floor," Flynn said. "You're like, 'Man, Blake, just calm down.' You want to tell him to ease up a little, man. But that's the way he plays and that's what makes him special."
TEMPERATURE GAUGE
WHO'S HOT?
-- Darko Milicic, C, Minnesota: In his last seven outings (before Monday night's game at New York), the 7-foot Milicic had averaged 15.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and shot 58.7 percent from the field. Not bad for a guy with career averages of 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 45.5 percent. Alas, Milicic left Monday's loss to the Knicks with a leg problem after scoring 10 points early and Minnesota faltered quickly.
WHO'S NOT?
--J.J. Redick, G, Orlando: This former collegiate co-player of the year (with Adam Morrison) is misfiring at 35.7 percent (35 of 98) from the floor and 28.6 percent (14 of 49) from 3-point range this season. And he's had to get hot lately to get to those numbers.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
columnMust credit Oklahoma City Oklahoman
