Brooklyn Nets forward Blake Griffin and Milwaukee Bucks center Bobby Portis wrestled over the ball in a sequence that ended in a standing ovation.
The NBA Playoffs are where legends are made.
Most of the time, star players drop jaws and build their legacies. Sometimes, it’s an unexpected player who works their way into the heart of a fanbase.
In short, Blake Griffin really wants Nets fans to like him.
Let’s talk about this play for a second.
First, Griffin goes full stretch to dive at Bobby Portis in a bid to steal the ball.
Then, the two literally wrestled on the court. The only thing missing were spandex singlets.
The playoffs are all about that kind of effort and intensity. The crowd at the Barclays Center absolutely loved it, giving Griffin a standing ovation.
Blake Griffin is giving his all to the Nets in the playoffs
Griffin’s first-half performance helped take some of the sting out of James Harden’s early injury. He had 10 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals by halftime.
Nets fans were loving it, but fans of his former team didn’t understand what they were watching.
Griffin started five games in the first round, but he only averaged 4.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists. His extensive minutes in Game 1 against the Bucks proved he can do a whole lot more than that.
Brooklyn needed someone to step up big after Harden left the game in the opening minute of play. He injured his right hamstring and won’t be able to return for the rest of the game.
Despite the injury to one of the team’s key stars, the Nets went into halftime leading by two, 63-61. Griffin was a big part of keeping the advantage in place.