Celtics Title Town

You either hate him,or you want to give him a fighting chance. He was apart of the deal that sent fan favorite and long time Celtic Kendrick Perkins  out of town. Yes Jeff Green couldn't handle passes,and he passed up wide open shots. Say what you will about Jeff Green,but he's got potential. I don't care about potential with a player entering his fifth season. Jeff Green shouldn't have the potential label anymore.

I want a full season with Jeff Green. I think the moment killed Jeff's chances last season. He was around four all-stars last season,and he was around four future hall of famers. The excuses can go on and on. You can say Jeff didn't know the system,and you can say Green went from starter to bench player. Jeff also changed positions. It was a big adjustment for Jeff,and I can give him that,but not all of it can redeem Jeff. He's still talented,and he's very capable on the floor.

Jeff Green excepted the qualifying offer on the eve of the NBA lockout. The Celtics need a player like Jeff Green. I believe a camp will work wonders for Green. The big concern now? Jeff Green might not get a full camp or even a camp at all with the Celtics this season.

The Celtics fan base feels cheated with Green. We lost a huge emotional character in Perkins. We got a player back in Green that doesn't show much emotion at all. 

"I think what people don't realize is how hard it is to [change roles]," Ainge said immediately after the 2010-11 season ended. "When I played in the [1980s], we brought in players that were hurting us every time we played them, like we couldn't stop them. I think one example is a player named Darren Daye. He used to score 25 every time we played him, but now all of a sudden he's coming in, he's playing behind Larry Bird and Kevin McHale and some games he scores zero playing behind them because he's just coming into the game to give them a rest.

"It's a different role and the expectations need to be different... [Green] gave us scoring, 3-point shooting that we needed, along with good defense and some athleticism. I think Jeff was a bright spot, based on what my expectations were."

Okay Danny I get the Darren Daye thing,but that was a different era. Jeff was thinking too much on the floor with his short time with the Celtics this season. He looked like it was the first day of school. We expected so much out of Jeff,and will expect more in the 2011-12 season. He's got big shoes to fill.Jeff Green will not start next season,but he will still get 30 plus minutes a game that's my thought. We know Doc and Danny want to limit the minutes of the Big 3 even more. Jeff can play all three spots on the floor depending on  the match-up.

The potential Jeff Green carries  must come to the surface this season. He's either got it or not. I want him to play free as possible. I don't want to see the Miami Heat series Green. I'm not expecting Green to be an all-star next season,but he needs to improve or the Celtics will remain weak on the wing  next season.

"These last couple months have been great, like I said, hopefully you'll see more," Green said after Boston was eliminated by the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. "All I'm going to do is just get better. There's a lot to my game that a lot of people haven't seen, a lot of dimensions that I can bring to this team or wherever I'm at."

As probably could be expected after making such a bold deadline move, Ainge stood in staunch defense of Green and his potential in Boston.

"First of all he's a good player right now," Ainge said after the season. "Jeff has proven himself. He's been a starter on a 50-win team in the NBA and probably the third most important contributor to a team. I think that this year in the playoffs he proved that when he was really needed as more than just a player to give rest -- he played behind Ray and Paul and [Kevin Garnett], which is a tough assignment -- but when Paul got hurt in Game 2, Jeff comes in, scores 10 points in a six- or seven-minute span, had five huge points for us in the fourth quarter of [Game 5]. I think Jeff played excellent.

"I think that because of his versatility -- and maybe the expectations were too high because we were trading Kendrick Perkins for him, or I don't know what it is, but we knew that he wasn't going to start, we knew he wasn't going to play 35 minutes. We needed a veteran player, an experienced player, an athletic player, so we know what Jeff Green is. He's a highly efficient offensive player that plays good defense, that has great character, that's 6-foot-9, versatile, athletic, and that's what we need. And he's young, and I think he's just going to get better because of his character and his work ethic."

The greatest  strength with Green is his versatility. His offensive game is complete,but he's got some concerns on the defensive end..Jeff is a good player,but he needs to get out of his head.