Blake Griffin says Clippers are close, even if games haven’t been

It has pained Blake Griffin to see his Clippers lose games by double-digit margins to the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets, in addition to getting swept in the season series, 3-0, by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

And in Griffin’s eyes, there is some significance in the Clippers’ inability to beat quality teams recently.

“It means something because obviously we feel like we should be in the game more than we were against San Antonio and Miami,” Griffin said. “It’s not something where we don’t feel like we can get there. It’s just something where we haven’t gotten there yet.”

The Clippers lost by 22 points at Miami on Feb. 8 and by 26 at home against the Spurs on Feb. 21.

The Clippers also fell behind by 19 to the Thunder at home on Sunday. They rallied to take a one-point lead, but lost by four.

Then the Clippers lost by 15 points at Denver on Thursday.

“We’ve been better than this,” Griffin said. “If I knew the problem, if I knew how to correct it, I would. I feel like we’re just one thing away.

“Like one game we shoot terribly, one game we don’t defend well. It’s not like it’s one thing we’re doing where it’s like we can’t compete. We know we can. It’s just a matter of getting there.”

Crawford update

The Clippers didn’t practice Friday, but Jamal Crawford planned to go to the team’s facility to get treatment on his sore left ankle.

Crawford was unable to play against the Nuggets and said he’ll take it “day by day” before he decides if he can play against Detroit on Sunday.

“I’ve been getting treatment around the clock to continue to give myself the best chance to get back out there with the guys,” he said.

Griffin’s Olympics plans

Griffin said he wants to play for the U.S. in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Griffin, who will be 24 on March 16, was unable to play on the gold medal-winning 2012 team in London because he suffered a left knee injury during a U.S. team practice that required surgery.

“Yeah, absolutely, it’s something that I want to do,” Griffin said. “Obviously it’s a great honor. I was really looking forward to playing last year. It was very disappointing not being able to be there. I kind of turned my sights to getting back healthy. So my next goal for that is 2016.”

Griffin said he hasn’t been approached recently by anyone from the USA Basketball, but figures it will happen soon.

“They talked about it last summer when I got hurt, about me coming back and being involved in the process over the next four summers,” Griffin said.

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner