Blake Griffin was added by the Boston Celtics to provide depth and physicality, which at times can be both rewarding and weary, which the 34-year-old experienced Friday night.
Griffin got the start in head coach Joe Mazzulla’s lineup against the Utah Jazz and did his part to remain impactful to keep Boston in the win column. But in doing so, Griffin, like the rest of the Celtics, needed to remain poised, despite one particularly frustrating moment.
In the fourth quarter, during a 122-114 C’s win, Griffin drew contact on a drive to the basket from Talen Horton-Tucker, which appeared to result in a charge. However, that’s not what the officials saw, instead charging Griffin with a foul and, soon after, a technical for voicing his displeasure.
“I’ll definitely take a charge cause to me, it’s a huge momentum shifter,” Blake Griffin told reporters, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “Derrick (White) and (Marcus) Smart do that incredibly well. … I don’t know about the ones that aren’t called. Those ones kind of hurt. It’s like adding injury to insult sometimes. Where you take the charge, you don’t get the call and then you get a tech. It’s just kind of my role to do that kind of stuff.”
Just minutes later, in déjà vu-like fashion, Griffin was involved in yet another on-court scuffle, just 24 hours after enduring a vicious headbutt from Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
Jazz guard Kris Dunn was charged with an offensive foul, to which Griffin knocked the ball out of his hands to prevent any further delay and get Boston’s next offensive possession in motion. Dunn, who took exception to Griffin’s ball slap, approached the six-time All-Star and tugged on his jersey, which earned him a second technical foul and ejection.
Meanwhile, Griffin remained on the floor, scoring six points while grabbing a season-high 12 rebounds with five assists en route to a second straight win.
The Celtics, who stood one and a half-games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, will take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Tipoff from Wells Fargo Center is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
