Blake Griffin will make his Brooklyn Nets debut against the Washington Wizards on Sunday. Griffin said he would have a minute restriction.
Griffin last played on Feb. 12 against the Boston Celtics while still a member of the Detroit Pistons. After agreeing to a buyout with Detroit and signing with Brooklyn, Griffin met with Nets coaching staff and came up with a plan to return to the game to get him in shape.
“No one is left out for a month and then they come back and play right away,” Griffin told ESPN. “So I just want to be smart and listen to people who know what I’m talking about and make sure they give me the best opportunity to participate and contribute and be healthy for the playoffs and beyond.”
While included on the list of people with disabilities for maintaining a left knee injury, Griffin insisted he never get hurt. On Sunday morning, Griffin said Nets training staff took a comprehensive approach to increased workload and did not focus only on the knees.
Griffin was with the Nets on his last trip to Indiana and worked with Nets coaches and Kevin Durant, who missed the last 13 Nets games with a hamstring streak. Brooklyn has played a total of four games without Griffin since signing with the franchise.
Griffin, 32, has played 20 games for Detroit this season and averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists.