Jeff Green Silencing Critics in Boston Celtics' New-Look Offense
WALTHAM, MASS. — In three-plus seasons with the Boston Celtics, Jeff Green has been a constant target of criticism. The scrutiny has come from everywhere: Celtics fans, the media and even members of the Celtics organization.
"Even people on my staff [will question Green]," Celtics team president Danny Ainge said Thursday morning in an interview on 98.5 The Sports Hub. "Jeff will get a dribble handoff, turn the corner and drive all the way in for a thundering dunk. And people will say to me, 'Why doesn't he do that every time?'"
That kind of response is a common reaction around town when Green's name is brought up. The former Georgetown star just began his seventh season in the NBA and employs a combination of size, athleticism and talent that most players only dream of having. These tools, combined with the sizable four-year, $36 million contract Green signed with the Celtics back in 2012, have led to lofty expectations for the 28-year-old forward.
No one can argue with the fact that Green has failed to reach those high standards over his first three seasons in Boston. His inconsistent play is partly to blame, but Green has also faced adversity due to forces beyond his control.
The forward was dealt a tough hand on that fateful trade deadline back in February 2011, when he was first acquired by the Celtics. Green's arrival in Boston was part of a controversial trade that shipped fan favorite Kendrick Perkins out of town, effectively breaking up the Celtics championship core in the eyes of many fans. The circumstances of the trade predisposed a vast number of Celtics fans to judge Green's play in an unforgiving manner, especially when Green and his teammates were unable to replace the toughness down low that Perkins had provided.
The hybrid forward has also dealt with plenty of difficulty off the floor in Boston. He missed the entire 2011-12 season after undergoing heart surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm, and he watched from the sideline as the Celtics went to the Eastern Conference Finals without him.
Remarkably, Green made a full recovery from the procedure and returned to the team in time for the 2012-13 season, but that comeback didn't stop fans from questioning his toughness and consistency throughout the past two seasons. With Rajon Rondo sidelined with a torn ACL, Green was expected to shine while taking more a leading role within the Celtics offense, but he failed to morph into the consistent top scorer Boston fans wanted.
In the eyes of teammate Gerald Wallace, the expectations placed on Green were unreasonable. He spoke to Bleacher Report about the criticism:
"It's not fair, because you have to think about it. ... The man had a life-changing experience [with heart surgery]. He missed basketball for a year. He was out and came back. ... He was on a learning curve, and then all of a sudden you are handed a franchise and are told, 'Take us to the promise land. With Rondo out, we are putting everything on your back.' That's a lot of pressure on a guy who is so young and is still trying to find his self and his rhythm in the NBA.
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Early on in the 2014-15 season, the critics have mellowed. Despite Boston's slow start, Green's production has not been an issue. In fact, it's been a major weapon for the rebuilding squad, thanks to a tweak in Brad Stevens' offensive system.
In hopes of improving his team's meager 96.2 points-per-game output last season (26th in the NBA), Stevens searched for a way to be less reliant on a lackluster pool of shot creators (including Green) in the half court.
The solution? Push the ball.
Whether it's running constantly after grabbing defensive rebounds or pushing the ball hard after made baskets, Celtics players have bought into the new aggressive scheme, and the Celtics rank among the top five teams in pace this season, according to NBA.com.
Jeff Green's Season Averages over Last Three Years
| Year | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | PPG |
| 2012-13 | 81 | 27.8 | 46.7% | 38.5% | 80.8% | 3.9 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 12.8 |
| 2013-14 | 82 | 34.2 | 41.2% | 34.1% | 79.5% | 4.6 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 16.9 |
| 2014-15 | 6 | 34.3 | 45.4% | 37.5% | 83.3% | 5.3 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 19.7 |
So far, Green is thriving in the new system.
"I think it suits him well," Gerald Wallace told Bleacher Report. "He can be one of the top open-court players in the league right now. He can finish strong at the rim, he has the ability to pull up on the break and knock down shots."
With these additional transition opportunities, Green's production has flourished since opening night. Boston's starting small forward has averaged 19.7 points over the first six games of the season, shooting an efficient 45.4 percent from the field. Both of those marks are considerable jumps over Green's averages last season (16.9 points, 41 percent shooting).
Perhaps the most encouraging part of Green's strong start has been his consistency. He scored at least 17 points in four straight games, a feat he has accomplished only five times during 189 regular-season contests for Boston since 2011, to start the season.
"He wants to be consistent," Stevens said. "He wants to play well. He's pretty locked in right now. I don't see any reason why he won't continue to play well. If he doesn't, we'll have to pick it up from somewhere else. But I'm not concerned about that with him. I feel he is in a really good place."
Green has also taken note of the new tempo's positive impact on his game.
"I think [the fast-paced offense] plays to everyone's strengths, not just mine," Green said. "I think Coach [Stevens] is putting us in great position to succeed."
The positive vibes to start this year are a welcome change for Green, and they are helping to lower the unreasonable standards the veteran forward faced last year. Given the injuries and lack of depth Boston dealt with last season, Green was almost destined to fail offensively. Few NBA players are going to fare well in an offense relying on Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger as its top two offensive threats.
Thankfully, plenty of help has arrived this year to take the offensive onus off of Green's back. A healthy Rondo has returned to assist in carrying the team's scoring load, and Green's younger teammates have also improved.
That added balance within the team's offense has kept defenses from focusing on Green, allowing for better opportunities for the young forward to pick his spots in the new system. Stevens still wants Green to expand his aggression beyond just attacking in transition.
As Coach Stevens told Bleacher Report:
"I think there are two things we want to do. ... One is to play with pace in the full court, but we also want play with pace in the half court. The goal of that, from my standpoint, is not to create isolation, but to create long closeouts. ... We all think [Green] can find matchups to take advantage of in isolation. He's at his very best, though, when a guy has a long closeout, and he can catch and shoot or shot fake. I think that's where he's found some spots. Hopefully, he'll continue to do that.
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Green's early-season strides have also allowed Stevens to experiment a bit more with his lineups, thanks to Green's versatility. One of those best lineups to date has been a three-guard look featuring Rondo, Bradley and rookie Marcus Smart, with Green playing at the 4. That grouping thrived in major minutes in Boston's season-opening win over Brooklyn and during a near-historic comeback bid against the Dallas Mavericks last Monday.
"It creates mismatches," Green said of the small look. "All over the floor, we have guys who are great on the defensive end and they can create turnovers. When we are on the open floor, with Rondo handling the ball, the floor is spread, so the lane is wide open."
Green's presence has been a critical element in the lineup's success, according to teammate Jared Sullinger.
"When we go small like that, it forces a team to pick their poison with Jeff playing the 4. We are spread out more and he's able to do what he wants to do," Sullinger told Bleacher Report.
As the season progresses, Stevens seems committed to finding ways to keep Green building off his standout play at both forward positions. Green will continue to face matchup issues against bigger power forwards who can bully him in the post and neutralize him on the glass, but the gains Boston makes with Green's athleticism at the position may be able to offset those negatives.
As Stevens adapts his strategy in differing matchups, Green remains ready for whatever his coach throws at him.
"I don't care what position I'm at," Green said. "I'm on the floor, I'm playing, I'm thankful for that, so whatever coach tells me to do, I'm going to do."
Green's performance this year will play a big part in his future with the team, as his status in Boston remains in question beyond this season. Green is earning $9.2 million this year and holds a $9.2 million player option next season.
Many NBA observers believed that Green would be moving on from Boston via trade or free agency by next summer, as the Celtics aim to go younger with their rebuild. If Green maintains his strong start, he may develop into a long-term part of Boston's rebuilding plan after all.
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