Blake Griffin will make his debut with the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday against the Washington Wizards. Griffin said that he will be on a minutes restriction.
Griffin last played on Feb. 12 against the Boston Celtics when he was still a member of the Detroit Pistons. After agreeing to a buyout with Detroit and signing with Brooklyn, Griffin met with the Nets’ training staff and devised a return-to-play plan that would get him back into game shape.
“Nobody sits out for a month and then comes back and plays right away,” Griffin told ESPN. “So, I just want to be smart and listen to the people that know what they’re talking about and make sure I give myself the best opportunity to come in and contribute and be healthy for the playoffs and beyond.”
While he was listed as out for left-knee-injury maintenance, Griffin has been adamant that he was never hurt. On Sunday morning, Griffin said that the Nets’ training staff took a full-body approach to his increased workload and didn’t just focus on his knee.
Griffin traveled with the Nets on their latest road trip to Indiana and worked out with the Nets’ training staff and Kevin Durant, who has missed the Nets’ past 13 games with a hamstring strain. Brooklyn has played a total of four games without Griffin since he signed with the franchise.
Griffin, 32, played in 20 games for Detroit this season and averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists.