Who is the real Jeff Green?
"That's like taking away from a pitcher that...throws a no-hitter. Obviously he's not going to be able to throw a no-hitter every time, and then the next outing he goes out and gives up six runs and you say, 'Which guy is he? -Danny Ainge on Jeff Green's performance last night
Last night's 43 point scoring night by Jeff Green was one of the most unexpected and awesome performances I've ever seen. If you had told me Jeff Green would drop over 40 in prime time against the Heat and Lebron James I would've thought you were crazy. But should we really be this surprised? Is Jeff Green capable of doing this and has just underperformed this season? Or is this a sign of things to come?
In my opinion it is a little bit of both. In this "what have you done for me lately" world we live in people are quick to forget that this guy had heart surgery a year ago. That's not some ankle surgery. It's his freaking heart. Not to mention he originally got thrown in 3/4 of the way through the season for one of the most beloved Celtics in the last 10 years(Perk). Let's be realistic here and cut the guy some slack.
On the other hand, there have been way too many times this year that I have seen Green be passive and quite frankly uninterested. It would be one thing if he wasn't as talented as we thought, but we now have seen what he can do. Look, I don't expect him to score 25 a night, but I fully expect 18 and 8 a night. He doesn't have to be the next Pierce, but he can certainly be the next Antoine Walker(in his prime and without a gambling problem).
Last night wasn't just Green being on fire. He literally was driving by defenders with ease. The guy is an athletic specimen and so graceful when he goes to the basket. I have to believe this isn't just a flash in the pan. He's averaging around 15 a game since the All star break and I think he has the potential to be an 18-20 point a game scorer if given starter minutes.
So, who is the real Jeff Green? I think it's part what we saw last night and part what we've seen since the All Star break. However, I do truly believe he has gotten over the hump in terms of being a non factor. I look forward to seeing plenty of Green poster dunks and swooping layups in the years to come.