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DETROIT – Blake Griffin. He understands it, even. But on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Detroit Pistons forward might have shown everyone that he is not "bad" anymore.
Griffin had a career-high 50 points in a 133-132 overtime win over Philadelphia. He reached the milestone on a driving layup and-1 that doubled the game-tying basket and game-winning free throw for the team he was traded to last winter.
"You know, the past two, three years, I've had bad games," Griffin said. "But we're talking about it." "This summer, being able to work for the first time in the summer, the last three summers are huge, you know. .
"And this summer, I've been able to work hard on my game, work on my body, and I've always been a big believer in hard work off country."
That's shown in the first three games of Detroit's season, but especially so against Philadelphia. Griffin's career-high 50 points were the most by a Pistons player since Rip Hamilton had 51 points on Dec. 27, 2006, against the New York Knicks. According to ESPN Stats & Information, it was the first 40-point, 10-rebound game by Pistons player since Isiah Thomas on Feb. 8, 1983, when Thomas had 46 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.
Griffin tied to a career with 3-pointers and career goals with 20 field goals. His 50 points are the seventh-most in Pistons history.
"He's playing at a high level right now," coach Pistons Dwane Casey said. "Offensively and defensively, he's out there talking and making decisions, communicating." He's playing great. [Nowitzki], Kyle Lowry, Kevin Garnett, Shawn Kemp, all those guys, he's playing at that high level right now.
"And he's just one of those guys, but he's just one of those guys, he's just a leader in the timeout. . "
Fellow 50-point scorer Hamilton took to Twitter to congratulate Griffin.
congrats @ blakegriffin32 we scoring 50 tonight. Welcome to the 50 club brother! Detroit Basketball (Mason Voice) #holdat https://t.co/wPDKpWZQ71
– Rip Hamilton (@ripcityhamilton) October 24, 2018
It started early for Griffin. His 28 points in the first half of the second-highest first-half point in Pistons history, and he emphasized that with a stretch in which he hit a 3-pointer and followed on the next with a transition dunk on which he faked passing the ball to Andre Drummond and then dunked over two Sixers.
It was not necessarily the time when the Pistons knew Griffin was, but they were times when they could not get better.
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Blake Griffin talks about his career, in which he scored 50 points and the winner in overtime.
"So what happens, you do not want to be a spectator because you want to keep playing the game, and you get to be ready when you start doubling," point guard Ish Smith said. "You become a fan – like, no lie.
"I think last game, the Chicago game, and tonight, you're just a fan and start watching." I started talking about it because it was so great, it was going to happen. so you just become a fan and that was fun to watch. "
Griffin was dominant throughout Tuesday, a large share of the Pistons hung with Philadelphia – just like it has a big reason Detroit is 3-0 to start the season. The fans noticed, too, showering Griffin with "M-V-P" with 3:09 left in regulation, when he tied the score at 110 and then again when he gave the Pistons a 111-110 lead.
He put together an MVP-like performance from beginning to end. On the game-winning play, he had the ball around the 3-point line, gave a ball-fake and then drove the right side of the lane eventual win.
There was not a point, though, when he thought he might be on his way to a big night, he said. According to Griffin, he did not feel like he could hit the road in Detroit the lead.
"You know, I just never, I've had games where I came out and got my first two and finished with 40," Griffin said. "At this point in my career, it's not like a thing where I, throughout the game, I'm thinking, 'Oh, let me get this, let me get that,' you know.
"You just take what comes, and you use it."
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