Clippers forward Blake Griffin has a merrier Christmas

The Clippers playing on Christmas Day 2009 was supposed to be a celebration of Blake Griffin, too.

In fact, the Griffin family, since Blake’s older brother, Taylor, was then on the Phoenix Suns’ roster and the Clippers were at Phoenix that night.

Except that Blake Griffin was sidelined because of a knee injury, which would eventually require surgery. That night, he was still hoping to get back on the court and was unhappy when interviewed that night by a reporter and later on national television.

“It seems like forever ago, but the time went by kind of fast,” Griffin said last week. “It’s hard to explain. I just know this Christmas is a lot happier for me.”

Was that the low point?

Not quite, as it turned out.

“It was tough not to be playing,” Griffin said. “I didn’t even know I’d have to have surgery at that point. It got a little lower.”

What a difference a dunk makes.

A year later, Griffin has turned rookie-of-the-year talk into a short conversation with only one name in the mix — Griffin. He dunked his way into mainstream talk with a revelation of a game — 44 points and 15 rebounds — against the New York Knicks in November. He has unleashed such a variety of dunks, it may be time to start numbering them.

Of course, the two numbers most important to Griffin are in the win-loss category. The Clippers have won three of their last four games but are 8-22.

Griffin’s streak of double-doubles stands at 17 consecutive games, and he immediately turned talk back to the team’s record.

“It’s one of those things, it would be a lot better if we were winning,” he said. “In a heartbeat, I’d trade that for 16 wins, or whatever it is. It’s important for me to rebound and do those things. At the same time, the ultimate goal is to win.”

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

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