In signing Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge, Nets added playoff experience

A lot has been written what Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge can bring the Nets at “this stage of their careers” as the story goes. A lot of it has been defined by the decline in their physical gifts measured against the increase in their craftiness.

Of course, they are also been described in terms of their BBIQ, leadership in the locker room and general experience, all good reasons to sign them ... particularly when the price is so right.

One thing not often specified is the very extensive post-season experience of the two vets, the 32-year-old Griffin and 35-year-old Aldridge. Between them, they’ve played in a total of 125 games, 53 for Griffin, 72 for Aldrige. It’s always good when your late season addition has a track record when the ball goes up in the playoffs. Andre Drummond, signed by the Lakers, may be younger than the Nets two buyout pickups but he’s only played in eight post-game games, losing all of them. Gorgui Dieng, signed by the Spurs, has played in five, winning one. Here’s the basic data on Griffin and Aldridge...

BLAKE GRIFFIN

Griffin has played in 53 playoff games and is 23-30. Of those 53 games, all but four in 2019 were with the Clippers. The other four were with the Pistons. Over those 53 games, 52 of them starts, he’s averaged 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists on 49/36/73 shooting, very close to his career regular season numbers. He’s also had 17 double-doubles, three triple-doubles, seven games with more than 30 points and perhaps most significantly, Griffin is played in four Game 7s. Three times, he’s gotten to the Western Conference Semis.

LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE

Aldridge is played in 72 games and is 32-40. Of those 72 games, he’s played 29 for the Blazers and 43 for the Spurs. Over those 72 games, all starts, he’s averaged 20.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 45/32/85, also in line with his career regular season numbers. He’s also had 31 double-doubles, eight games with more than 30 points, three over 40. He’s played in one Game 7. He got to the Western Conference Finals in 2017, losing to Kevin Durant’s Warriors.

Neither of course have won a ring. That’s a big reason why they’re in Brooklyn but combined with the Big Three, Joe Harris, Landry Shamet, Jeff Green, etc, the Nets will go into the playoffs with more than 500 games of post-season experience. Kevin Durant has 139 games himself. winning 88 of them. Not many teams have done that.

Others are starting to think just how the two “new guys” will play in May, June and hopefully July. Earlier this week, Bill Simmons said from he saw in Griffin’s first three games he thinks that Griffin will see action at the end of playoff games.