NBA teams
Jovan Buha, ESPN.com Editor 7y

Blake Griffin ahead of Clips' opener: 'As good as I've felt in several years'

NBA, LA Clippers

PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- L.A. Clippers star Blake Griffin said Friday he feels as good as he's felt in "several years" heading into the 2016-17 regular season.

"I felt great -- as good as I've felt in several years," Griffin said before practice. "It's kind of surprising, actually. I felt good going into camp, but you never know how you're going to respond to a lot of live situations and a heavy load. But I felt great."

As a result, Griffin says he finally has peace of mind as the Clippers approach their season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland on Thursday.

"Playing back-to-backs or having several hard days of practice in a row and then a game and still feeling fine the next day, still being able to get all my work in and do even more -- it's reassuring," Griffin said.

Last season, the five-time All-Star missed 47 games during the regular season with a tear in his left quadriceps tendon and a broken right hand after an altercation in January with a team equipment manager, which subsequently resulted in Griffin being suspended for four games.

Griffin's season ended early when he aggravated the left quadriceps injury in Game 4 of the Clippers' first-round playoff series against the Trail Blazers.

Coach Doc Rivers, who initially feared he would have to limit Griffin's minutes to start the season, added that he plans on playing Griffin with no minutes restrictions.

"He's been far better [than I anticipated]. There's no holding back. You don't have to," Rivers said. "Just logically thinking going into the year, you thought you may have to. But you don't. That tells you the superb athlete he is, that tells you where his health is, and it's all good news for us."

Griffin averaged 16.2 points on 55.4 percent shooting to go along with 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 23.1 minutes per game during the preseason.

To prevent injury, Griffin adjusted his offseason routine to strengthen his lower body, particularly his legs, which he says he's gone away from in recent seasons.

"Every year I find different things I like and some things I discard," Griffin said. "I definitely changed my routine a little bit as far as the work I do before I get out on the court ... just activating everything -- probably a little heavier in the legs. The past few years I've gotten away from it a little bit, but I got back on it this summer."

Rivers says Griffin's work ethic is the primary reason he was able to rehab quickly and enter the season with confidence.

"He's worked. Blake works so hard," Rivers said. "Sometimes you put enough work in that you take away any insecurities you may have with your body because you've tested it in every way possible. He doesn't even think about it. The only time he thinks about it is when [the media] brings it up."

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