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Griffin: 'As good as I've felt in several years'

Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

The last two seasons haven't exactly been a picture of optimal health for Blake Griffin. Yet coming into another big - and perhaps do-or-die - year for the Los Angeles Clippers, he says he's feeling better than ever.

"As good as I've felt in several years," Griffin said Friday, according to ESPN's Jovan Buha. "It's kind of surprising, actually. I felt good going into camp, but you never know how you're going to respond to a lot of live situations and a heavy load. But I felt great."

Griffin's season of discontent in 2015-16 ended when he re-aggravated a quad injury during the Clippers' six-game playoff loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. It was a campaign that also featured an absence due to a broken hand suffered punching a team employee at a Toronto restaurant. The season before, Griffin missed 15 games, mostly due to a staph infection in his shooting elbow.

The 27-year-old said he adjusted his offseason regimen accordingly, focusing this summer on lower-body strength.

"Every year I find different things I like and some things I discard," Griffin said. "I definitely changed my routine a little bit as far as the work I do before I get out on the court ... probably a little heavier in the legs. The past few years I've gotten away from it a little bit, but I got back on it this summer."

Injuries have been the main reason Griffin's status as a top-10 player in the NBA may have slipped in the eyes of many pundits, but his coach Doc Rivers has full confidence in him.

"He's worked. Blake works so hard," Rivers said. "Sometimes you put enough work in that you take away any insecurities you may have with your body because you've tested it in every way possible."

Betting on a big year from Griffin wouldn't be a bad idea. The power forward sounds focused on making amends for his self-professed immaturity, and he's even talked about adding an outside shot to his repertoire. Last season was the first time in his six-year career that his field-goal shooting dipped under 50 percent, but he still averaged more than 21 points and eight rebounds per game on a PER of 22.1.

Then there's the contract year aspect. Both Griffin and point guard Chris Paul can become unrestricted free agents next summer. That core has played in a combined 14 NBA All-Star Games, but has yet to move beyond the second round of the playoffs.

The Clippers open the regular season in Portland on Thursday.

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