AT&T CENTER – Through 14 games in the 2017-18 regular season, San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green is the team’s third leading scorer providing San Antonio with 10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.
With Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker yet to suit up this season due to injuries, Green’s been asked to increase his role on both ends of the floor.
Defensively, Green gets tasked with guarding some of the premiere wing players automatically without Leonard by his side. While on offense, he’s shown more growth in handling the ball as he can now initiate the pick-and-roll, or bring the ball up the floor in transition. Defenses can’t just worry about closing out on Green’s open 3-point looks either, as he’s demonstrated the ability to put the ball on the floor and try to score or create for others.
When asked about Green’s evolution through nine seasons in the NBA, Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich attributed Green’s growth to Green’s hard work he’s put in over the years.
“He’s steadily become a professional over the years and taken his craft seriously,” said Popovich before the Spurs hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder. “An all around player, not just someone who can shoot open threes. He’s gone to work everyday with that thought and defensively, he figured out that he kind of had a knack for it on top of deciding to be that. He was pretty good with his hands, and anticipated pretty good position wise on the court. As he found some success, he was rewarded for it and I think he continues to take it very seriously. Then he started doing things like blocking shots on the break in transition. You’re wondering, ‘Where the heck did that come from? I don’t remember doing that drill.’ We don’t have those drills, but he’s doing it. He’s done that on his own. He’s excited to be an all around player.”
