Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons leader keeps the team focused

Embed from Getty Images Blake Griffin dispelled any rumor during the NBA trade deadline saying he was happy in Detroit. If there was any doubt they can be put to rest. Blake Griffin is the Pistons unquestioned leader.

“Being the 6th or 7th seed is absolutely nothing to be proud of. We tricked off two months of basketball.” That was Blake Griffin on the recent success of the Detroit Pistons.

On one hand it sounds like he is slamming his team. Which is was. On the other hand it sounds like he is trying to keep the Pistons focused. He is. You see by letting the team and media know that the Pistons played two bad months of basketball, they have somehow managed to climb back into the playoff picture.

That is what a good leader looks like. Acknowledging where they have been while keying in on where they want to be and are going. on Jan. 29 with the Pistons 7 games under .500, mired in bad play, Griffin offered this:
“I don’t know how many games back we are. Can’t be more than 2½, three. So that’s a solid 10 games of basketball and some losses from a team that’s right ahead of us.”

Again letting everyone know the sky was not falling and there was still time to salvage the season. Check.

It is almost as if the trade deadline brought a focus that was missing. It also seemed to bring team chemistry that had bee absent all together. “As players, you’ve got to trust the front office,” Griffin said shortly after the team  picked up Thon Maker for Johnson and rookie Svi Mykhailiuk and a future No. 2 pick.

Blake Griffin said “My message to our guys is, like, what have we done? We’ve had a good stretch. A lot of teams have had good stretches.” Griffin has embraced his role as team leader and brought a new found focus to the Detroit Pistons.

Leaders are a dime a dozen. But when it’s authentic, it’s pretty easy to spot. Which is why Griffin stands out.

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