Blake Griffin: “Lob City is done”

Bringing in Doc Rivers as coach has brought a palpable change around the Clippers — they are expected to contend for a title. Rivers is his usual positive self, but he doesn’t shy away from title talk. Rather, he is challenging the Clippers to live up to it — he told Chris Paul that the best point guard in the game hasn’t done anything in the NBA yet.

There is now a seriousness around the Clippers mission, a new team identity. It is time to put away childish things.

Like all the lobs.

Look at what Blake Griffin told ESPN about the team’s changing identity, as reported at ESPNLosAngeles.com.

“Lob City doesn’t exist anymore. Lob City is done,” Griffin told ESPN’s Shelley Smith in an interview this week. “We’re moving on and we’re going to find our identity during training camp and that will be our new city. No more Lob City.”

“Our offense is going to have a totally different look this year,” said Griffin, who added that he’d done a lot of work in the offseason on his face-up game from 10 to 15 feet. “Our offense is going to have a lot of movement and floor spacing. I’m looking forward to it.”

The Clippers shouldn’t (and will not) completely abandon the back door cut and the lob (or the alley-oop in transition) — not because they want to put on a show, but rather because it leads to a dunk and that is the single most efficient shot in the game. Griffin doesn’t miss many when he is throwing it down through the rim, neither does DeAndre Jordan.

That said, the Clippers have shooters who can space the floor better now with Jared Dudley and J.J. Redick. That creates room and options for CP3 to do his thing. There should be great ball movement. The Clipper offense is still going to be top three in the league, maybe No. 1.

The question is really what kind of defensive culture can Rivers install. That is the end of the court that will make them real contenders.