Blake is off to a Great Start

The Clippers are 7 games into the season, which means that we're already 1/10th of the way through the season.  Let's take a look at some of the numbers that Griffin is putting up.

Blake is:
6th in the league in scoring per game at 23.7 ppg
4th in the league in rebounds per game at 10.6 rpg
11th in the league in field goal percentage at 56%
8th in the league in double doubles with 4

And the Clippers are 7th in the Western Conference with a 4-3 record.

Introducing the 'New Clippers'

A new era is emerging in the 'other' home locker room at the Staples Center.  After years and years of misery, the present and future looks bright for the Clippers.  On Wednesday, the league approved a trade where Chris Paul would go to the Clippers and Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, and the 2012 Timberwolves' first round draft pick would go to the Hornets.

What does this mean for Blake Griffin?

In a nutshell, this deal combined with the re-signing of DeAndre Jordan, creates probably the most explosive combination in basketball.  Personally, I'm salivating over the thought of CP3 throwing up lobs to 2 of the 3 top dunkers in the NBA.  We've seen the way Paul makes the game so easy for talented players like Tyson Chandler, and now he has 2 guys that can jump out of the gym to pass to.

I fully expect this dynamic to produce enormous amounts of highlight reel dunks and easy transition baskets for the Clippers as they stride into the playoffs.  They might even win a series or 2.  Wouldn't that be something?

"We're going to go to the playoffs this year" - Mo Williams

When training facilities opened Thursday, Blake was the first player to get to the Clippers' training facility and worked out for about 2 hours according to reports.  That is an indicator of the work ethic of the Clippers' superstar in the making.

Blake returning to practice (thanks Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 

This kind of dedication and leadership combined with his basketball talents are part of the reason the Clippers are poised for a breakout season.  Mo Williams has already made the bold prediction of guaranteeing a playoff birth this season.  I feel strangely comfortable with the idea of the Clippers in the West best 8.  In fact, I have a feeling that they'll do more than scrape in and might see themselves as high as the 4th or 5th seed if everything comes together. Not only that, but their long term future looks bright too.

The team has a young core of 23-year-old center DeAndre Jordan, 22-year old Blake Griffin, and guard Eric Gordan, who turns 23 on Christmas day.  Considering Jordan and Griffin were 2 of the 3 most frequent dunkers in the NBA, Gordan will be getting a lot of easy assists for a long time.