The L.A. Clippers fell to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday afternoon, but all eyes were on Blake Griffin, who made his return to Staples Center to face his former team.

In 40 minutes of action, Griffin finished with 44 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals on 13-of-23 shooting from the field, 5-of-13 from beyond the arc, and 13-of-14 from the free throw line.

After the game, Griffin spoke for the first time since making his highly-anticipated return to Staples Center. The one question everyone wanted to know the answer to: why did Griffin snub Clippers' owner Steve Ballmer of a handshake pregame.

“For nine years now, as soon as I’m done doing my pregame shooting, I make sure there’s a path and I take off running to the locker room,” said Griffin. “I don’t stop running. A lot of you know that. A lot of you have been here for a long time and seen me do that before. I don’t change that for anybody.”

This is video of the incident showing Ballmer waiting for Griffin and Griffin darting by him as the Clippers owner extends a hand to shake.

“To tweet out something like that,” added Griffin, looking at a reporter dead in the eyes, “like what you did, was kind of bullshit. You know that. But that’s what it was. Plain and simple. It wasn’t anything planned. Every single game I’ve done this for I don’t know how long.”

Griffin and the Pistons now move on to face the Utah Jazz on Monday night. The Clippers will host the Pelicans on Monday.