The Boston Celtics lost their second game in a row on Monday, taken down by Kawhi Leonard and his Los Angeles Clippers, 113-93.
It was a disappointing night for the best team in the East, who had been flying so high recently.
They were beaten pretty definitively but they still had some good moments throughout the night.
Jaylen Brown scored 21 points, while Jayson Tatum put up 20.
And other guys did some great work too.
Blake Griffin NEARLY got this poster to fall 😳 pic.twitter.com/1vRdqXDWP8
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 13, 2022
One moment showed both the good and the bad of the Celtics in one single play.
Blake Griffin attempted a monster dunk, the type he hasn’t created in years.
It was explosive, exciting, and could have easily become a viral moment…unfortunately, it didn’t land and Griffin’s power and skill couldn’t actually score with the dunk.
Still, it was really fun to watch – even if it was a miss.
It was a good reminder of just how great Griffin used to be.
Vintage Griffin
There was a time when Griffin was scoring with dunks like this all the time.
When he first entered the league, he and Chris Paul were the kings of alley-oop plays with the Clippers.
Watching Griffin play was often a transcendent experience, full of plays just like this.
But as time went on, all of that athleticism had an impact on his body and he suffered injuries and just general wear and tear.
It’s easy to see why: examine the picture above and you see how physically Griffin plays, pushing his way through several opponents as he tries to dunk.
Years and years of playing like that will lead to an overall slowdown.
Griffin is currently averaging 6.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, far from what he used to do although he is still a valued and beloved part of his team and the league.
NEXT: The Celtics Are Celebrating An Icon