Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin is off to a scorching start and his 50-point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday was his way of announcing that he's back.

Blake Griffin has struggled in recent years through some suspect play, injuries, and of course, the trade that sent him from the Los Angeles Clippers to Detroit.

“The past two, three years, all I hear is how bad I am,” Griffin told NBA.com. “And, you know, I’ve been hurt, had bad games. I haven’t even played the way I have. But we’ve talked about it: This summer, being able to work out for the first time in three summers, is huge. Last three summers, I was fighting and working as hard as I could to get healthy to be able to play. This summer, I was able to really put time in and work on my game, on my body. I’ve always been a big believer in hard work pays off.”

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Clearly, the hate Blake Griffin has received has played a part in his resurgence. Many people wrote him off and declared him an overpaid player. Griffin is showing early on this year that he's well worth the money.

The Pistons were not one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference when the season started, but Griffin's resurgent play has some reconsidering their stance. If Griffin averages 30-plus points per game and returns to his All-Star self, the Pistons could make some noise in a wide-open Eastern Conference.

He's finally healthy and his hard work from the offseason is paying off.