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In fact, Griffin has registered seven or more assists on five occasions this season, a mark surpassed by only one forward or center (LeBron James) in the league. He has reached that mark more often than the starting point guards Aaron Brooks and Darren Collison, and is just one seven-assist game short of matching Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Manu Ginobili’s totals for the year. The same court awareness that guides Griffin to the hoop for a put-back dunk apparently informs his sense of space on the pass, leading to an impressive overall floor game that doesn’t quite get the credit it deserves. Most big men don’t move or dunk the way Griffin does, and most don’t pass the way he does, either.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hUKHaPv47g[/youtube]

Nothing about Griffin – from his insane athleticism to his unique rebounding style – is typical, which makes it fitting that he has stepped into a unique class of passing big men. The overtly dominant aspects of Griffin’s play have made him one of the season’s greatest delights, but his game clearly stretches beyond the scoring and rebounding columns. His effectiveness transcends “SportsCenter.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4RrffZiA_Y[/youtube]

Griffin is the reigning king of N.B.A. spectacle, but his passing aptitude should serve as a reminder of the substance in his game. The dunks are great, but it’s his multiple-layered impact that has paved his early road to stardom.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUCIQq0O0sY[/youtube]

Rob Mahoney, Off The Dribble/NY Times