Gerald Green is finally showing his value off the bench for the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics came into this season knowing there was a lot of uncertainty on the second unit. The two top point guards in Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier were taking on new roles. Backup small forward Jaylen Brown is a 20 year old rookie who is unpolished and inconsistent, particularly on offense. Jordan Mickey and James Young still had not been given a chance to take on a serious role and Tyler Zeller was coming off a disastrous season. They could trust Kelly Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko’s shooting, but could not trust them to have a game changing impact.
Then there was also the low key free agent acquisition Gerald Green. The former Celtic was brought in to try and help a poor shooting team, and give them a option they can trust off the bench. At the start of the season, it appeared as though Green was going to be a terribly failed experiment. Even with injuries piling up, he failed to get on the court and was rarely ever able to have an impact.
Green was given his opportunity to start out the season. He averaged well over 10 minutes per game over the first seven games, but Stevens quickly went to another option. Green failed to score in double digits in any of those games, and he shot well under 50 percent for the majority of them. Green did not appear to fit properly, and his shot was not nearly what it needed to be to get him minutes.
After that brief stint to start out the season, it appeared as though his role was completely lost. Of the next 23 games, Green was given more than 10 minutes just once, and had 15 games where he did not see the floor. Stevens saw how poorly the bench was playing at the start of the season, and he was looking to all the other options ahead of Green.
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Then, largely because of inconsistent play from other guards on the bench, Green was given a second chance this season. Starting on Christmas day, Green was given three straight games with 12 minutes or more played, and he quickly took advantage of his opportunity this time. He averaged well over 10 points per game for those three games, including his best performance of the season, shooting 70 percent against the Grizzlies for 19 points. Green appeared to turn a corner, giving the second unit a much needed spark.
Since that three game stretch, Green has been given more than 10 minutes in half his games, and added two more games with a great scoring boost off the bench. Green is no where near having a sixth man of the year kind of impact, but he is turning into one of the most valuable players off the bench, and he is figuring out how to have the best possible impact for Brad Stevens.
Green is now shooting over 35 percent from three point range, making him clearly the best shooting option for the second unit back court. Especially with Olynyk’s three point regression this season, he is bringing back the edge the Celtics have always been getting from the second unit, and there is no reason for Stevens to go away from him, even after Avery Bradley returns to the lineup.
Green is not putting up crazy per game averages, but his efficiency is skyrocketing, and if it keeps up there is a good chance he will continue to get more and more options, potentially taking on an Olynyk type role off the bench where he can expect over 20 minutes per game. Per 36 minutes, Green is averaging 18.4 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists per game. Green is contributing when he needs to, and is giving Stevens multiple reason to keep giving him more minutes.
Green needed some time, but he is finally showing what kind of impact he can have on the team. The Celtics have always succeeded with impact players on the bench, and it has not been uncommon for second unit players to have a bigger role than starters. Olynyk, coming off the bench, has consistently been given over 20 minutes per game and Smart takes on even more responsibility. Green is now showing that potential to have the kind of impact on the second unit that could outweigh what starters do in certain situations.
Right now, Green has a PER of 14.6, which is right behind starting center Amir Johnson, is also very close to Jae Crowder‘s 15.1, and is better than anyone on the bench, including Smart or Olynyk.
Green has officially proven to Stevens that he is capable of being effective and providing a spark in small portions. The Celtics are getting a scoring boost form Green and that alone will keep him in the lineup. That being said, as he continues to improve his he shown signs of being capable of having an even greater impact.
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The Celtics still need to figure out their second unit rotation, and they should continue to improve across the board. Green will be a valuable asset if all he does is keep up this recent stretch, but he can become one of the only trusted shooting options off the bench. The Celtics have much better shooters in their front court, and Green is the one guard that truly has the potential to keep up with the bigs on the second unit, offering the kind of balance that the Celtics have suffered without on the second unit this season.