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Coming off a championship win with the Toronto Raptors (the second ring of his 11-year career), guard/forward Danny Green has already provided an impact on both ends for the 7-1 Los Angeles Lakers, currently holding the best record in the Western Conference, and tied with the Boston Celtics for best record in the NBA.
The 32-year-old veteran has found a niche as a 3-and-D player and a clutch shooter. Green is currently the team’s fourth-leading scorer, at 9.8 points. He also shoots 43.9% from the 3-point line and contributes 1.5 steals. Against the Clippers on opening night, he scored 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field, and 7-of-9 from three-point range. He actually surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most points by a player on Lakers debut.
His defense, which is another trademark of his, has been solid and has helped with the team’s overall defensive approach this season, emphasized by coach Frank Vogel. In Friday night’s victory against the Miami Heat, he performed well when asked to guard All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler at times.
With the attention that LeBron James and Anthony Davis command by defenses, Green has had opportunities for a lot of wide-open shots and has taken advantage, for the most part. Green has not had the offensive or shooting display since opening night, but he has hit at least one three in each game. His biggest moment of the season thus far has come against the Dallas Mavericks, in which the Lakers overcame a double-digit deficit.
The Lakers were still down three, and the ball, not surprisingly, ended up in LeBron James’ hand. The lane opened up for James, but the team needed a three. So LeBron kicked it out to Danny Green. Dwight Howard had set a screen against Seth Curry (in which the NBA admitted Howard got away with illegally holding Curry), allowing Danny Green to get open behind the three-point line in the corner. Green let it fly, and as he has done several times in his career in playoff or championship moments with the Spurs and Raptors, he came through in the clutch.
The three went in at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime, and propelling the Lakers to a victory. It was a moment of irony – he was very close to becoming a Maverick once – and another moment in an underrated career of hitting a big shot when his team needed it.
Guess the Lakers players!
