If there is a 2011-12 NBA season, and that is a big "if" at this point, the expectation is that the Los Angeles Clippers will make their triumphant return to the playoffs.

Blake Griffin proved to be the real deal as a rookie and with young talent like DeAndre Jordan, Eric Gordon and Eric Bledsoe surrounding Griffin the sky seems to be the limit for Los Angeles' other team.

Blake Griffin and the Clippers are ready for takeoff when the 2011-2012 season gets underway and Griffin has organized team workouts until then.

"Definitely. We have a better nucleus and the key for us is staying healthy," Blake Griffin said in a recent interview with ESPN Radio. "I think we have talent, we have athleticism, we do have some experience, but like I said staying healthy is the biggest thing.

And getting off to a good start. Last season we started off 1-12 and then played .500 ball the rest of the way."

The best sign for the Clippers was, of course, the season that Griffin had. He averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and even 3.8 assists per game while shooting 50% from the field and appearing in all 82 games.

"To be honest I wasn't scared," Griffin said of returning from a knee injury that claimed his entire rookie season. "I think I had gotten all of that out of my system. I had so long to rehab. I had surgery in January and we didn't start until October or end of September I had a lot of time to rehab and get better. My main thing was really being ready for the season.

“Most of [last] summer I had to rehab so I wasn't really doing as much basketball stuff as I wanted," Blake said. "So that's why this summer has been huge for me because I have been able to work on the things that I wanted to all summer long working on my shot and learning the game - really defensively - I watched so much tape this summer."

For Griffin, watching tape means watching other NBA players who do the things he wants to be able to do.

"Offensively Amar'e (Stoudemire) and 'Melo (Carmelo Anthony), but I watch point guards, too. I watch Steve Nash and Chris Paul. I think the more you watch, the more you know and the better player you become. It's not just about watching a certain player. It's about everything."

While the NBA lockout is going on players are not allowed to have contact with team personnel, including their coaching staff, but that doesn't mean the players can't get together independently. That's just what Griffin has in mind.

"Really waiting is all we can do right now. I'm actually bringing in a lot of the guys next week and we're gonna work out together; get them in here and do some stuff.

You saw some of the football teams doing that so hopefully we follow the same path as the NFL did, but it is frustrating, though. Very."

As frustrating as waiting is, sooner or later there will be a new collective bargaining agreement in place between the NBA and its players, and once that happens the Los Angeles Clippers expect to be a force to be reckoned with. If Blake Griffin can instill his work ethic in his teammates they might just be the surprise team of the 2011-12 season.

Listen to Blake Griffin on ESPN Radio by linking here!

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