Doc Rivers Praises Blake Griffin, Comparing Rookie to NBA Legends Dominique Wilkins, David Robinson

When you've got one of the game's most athletic scorers on your team, it makes you and everyone else around you better. No one knows that better than Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

Rivers was asked Tuesday about Blake Griffin, the rookie sensation who's taken the NBA by storm this season. He had nothing but praise for the L.A. Clippers' phenom — and when talking about him, Rivers was reminded of his own playing days, playing alongside Hawks superstar scorer Dominique Wilkins.

"He's just an amazing athlete," Rivers said of Griffin. "You know, I was the worst alley-oop passer in history, but no one knew it, because I had Dominique. You could throw the ball anywhere. With Blake Griffin, it's even more of that. All bad passes are good passes. You just throw it."

Griffin is the same way. He's playing with a ragtag group of aging veterans and raw youngsters in Los Angeles this season. The group around him is less than impressive, as evidenced by the Clips' 24-40 record. Griffin has played with every point guard from Baron Davis, to Eric Bledsoe, to Mo Williams.

Doesn't matter. He just keeps throwing down big dunks and putting up big numbers.

"He's just a freak," Rivers said. "I don't know who he'd remind me of. When I first saw him, I said David Robinson because of the athleticism. But he's David Robinson to the second power. I don't know what he is. He's just an unbelievable athlete."

Wednesday night will bring a clash between two polar opposites — the Clippers, with their single solitary dazzling star, and the Celtics, the consummate team.

The C's and Clips tip off at 7:30 p.m. at the TD Garden.