The L.A. Clippers and Detroit Pistons are set to play their Saturday afternoon matinee at Staples Center, but it won't be any ordinary game. Blake Griffin will be making his highly-anticipated return to Staples Center to take on the Clippers for the first time since being shockingly traded away almost a year ago.
Ahead of the game, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer showed up a bit early and walked out onto the court where players warm up. Today, however, he was on the opponent's end of the court where the Pistons were warming up to watch and wait for Griffin.
Griffin finished his warm ups, darted past Ballmer, who had his hand out waiting for any kind of embrace or conversation, and ran straight back into the locker room.
#Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was waiting for #Pistons Blake Griffin during his warm ups. After Blake finished his free throws, he darted by Ballmer, who had his hand out, and jogged back into the locker room.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 12, 2019
Needless to say, Griffin still isn't over the trade that sent him to Detroit less than seven months after he signed a five-year deal to stay with the Clippers.
Griffin had dealt with a number of injuries during his tenure with the Clippers, and unfortunately, never got to see his goal of winning an NBA Championship through to the end. Griffin averaged 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.0 steal per game on 51.2 percent shooting from the field in his Clippers career.
This season with the Pistons, he's seen a bit of an offensive resurgence, averaging a career-high 25.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and a career-high 2.3 three-pointers per game.
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