Former NBA star Blake Griffin believes the Los Angeles Clippers have yet to properly recognize the impact of their famous “Lob City” era, despite the team’s role in transforming the franchise into a consistent playoff contender.
Griffin, who played alongside Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan and JJ Redick during one of the most successful periods in Clippers history, said he does not remember the organization inviting the former players back for a celebration or tribute to their accomplishments.
“I don’t think that we’ve ever been asked to come back or do anything or honor that team.”
Although the Clippers never reached the Western Conference Finals during that period, Griffin emphasized that the team experienced considerable success and produced memorable postseason performances.
“And at the end of the day, we had playoff success. You know, we got to the playoffs. We had some incredible moments in the playoffs. We had some controversial moments and sort of navigated all that.”
The six-time NBA All-Star explained that the players remain proud of what they accomplished, particularly considering the Clippers’ reputation before their arrival.
“But for us, I think, when we look back, there’s guys who were on that team, DeAndre, CP, myself, JJ, you look back and you have a sense of pride because of what the Clippers were before.”
Before the emergence of the Lob City era, the Clippers had spent decades struggling to establish themselves as a competitive NBA franchise. Their lack of sustained success frequently made them the subject of criticism and jokes around the league.
However, the arrival of Paul in 2011, combined with Griffin’s emergence as an All-Star and Jordan’s development into a defensive force, helped change expectations surrounding the organization.
“And it was often a punchline. And I think that we feel pride in that we sort of got that franchise to a place where it was like, ‘No, no, you’re expected to make the playoffs. You’re expected to go further.’”
During their six seasons together, the Clippers reached the playoffs every year and recorded at least 50 victories in five consecutive seasons from 2012-13 through 2016-17.
Despite repeatedly entering the postseason with championship aspirations, the team was unable to advance beyond the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Griffin acknowledged that failing to win a championship remains a disappointment, but he believes the group’s broader contribution to the franchise deserves recognition.
“And having those expectations and not ultimately achieving our goal of a championship is one thing, but just raising the bar. And I guess that sort of cliché of leaving a place a little bit better than you found it.”
