Green Sees Self as a Top Defensive Player and is Determined to Prove it

Here's yet another article by Steve Bulpett, who is recently proving to be a gold mine of interesting news about the Celtics. Among other things, he talks about Green feels defense is "my calling." Holy crap! If this guy should really become an elite defender, we can all Perk up! (Pun intended. What I really meant was that we can all shut up about having traded Perk.)

Sam

Doc gives positive prognosis

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook | Sunday, October 21, 2012 Boston Celtics

ALBANY, N.Y. — The Celtics [team stats] aren’t looking to sneak up on anybody this season. Not with their coach matter-of-factly throwing them onto the firing line.

He was asked casually if the Celts are still a contender in Year 6 of what was supposed to be a three-year window.

“I do,” said Doc Rivers before last night’s 109-98 preseason win over the Knicks. “I do. I’d put us up against anybody, so the answer would be yes. We are deeper. I think we’re more versatile. I think we have a true small lineup when we want one now. Last year we’d slide Paul (Pierce) over to the 4. This year we have Jeff (Green) who can play the 4 and be dominant at it with speed. . . . And I think we can sustain an injury. You don’t want one, but I think this team is deep enough to be able to get away with it for a while, where last year we were pretty thin — extremely thin.”

He even agreed with Rajon Rondo [stats]’s recent assessment that this year’s edition is better than the 2007-08 championship group.

“You know, Kevin (Garnett) and Paul were a little younger, so you’ve got to factor in that,” Rivers said. “But I think from 1 through 10, for sure, we’re pretty good.”

Comeback kids

Green had 25 points and Jason Terry 22 as the Celtics came back from a 20-point first-half deficit to beat the Knicks. They combined to make 17-of-29 shots, including 7-of-11 3-pointers.

“It’s never great to be down 20, but when you’re down 20 and then up 18, that’s always a good feeling,” said Rivers.

Said Terry, “When we got down early, it was a test. Can you fight back? Can you make it a competitive game? We got back within five and then we took the lead from there, and the rest is history.”

Green had a smooth scoring night, but his highlight came on a fast break block of a Mychel Thompson drive.

“I didn’t line him up; he waited on me,” said Green. “He waited on me, and that’s what he got.”

Of his defense overall, he said, “That’s my calling. I’ve got to be a guy who can go out there and guard the best player on the opposite team, whether it’s Carmelo (Anthony), LeBron (James), Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant — doesn’t matter. I see myself as being one of the top defensive players in this league, and I’ve just got to go out there and prove it.”

Rest for the weary

Pierce, Garnett, Brandon Bass, Darko Milicic and Chris Wilcox all sat out the game.

“It’s nothing serious,” said Rivers. “This was a scheduled day (off) for Kevin — and Paul, actually, even though Paul tweaked his (left) ankle. I wasn’t going to play him tonight regardless. I told them that before the Brooklyn game (Thursday). Darko (right wrist) would have played. He’ll probably play (tonight at home against Philadelphia), and Brandon (bruised right knee), we’ll just wait and see. But they’re fine.”

Bass agreed.

“It’s cool,” he said. “If I needed to play, I’d play. I bumped it in the game at home against the Nets (Tuesday). It bothered me real bad that night, and then the next day it was cool. Then I practiced and played in the game (Thursday). In the second half, it just got sore. It got stiff, so they just thought I should rest it.” . . .

Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler sat out for New York. Rasheed Wallace was again not on the trip for the Knicks. He has been trying to get in shape after resuming his career following a two-year layoff.

Strong foundation

Before the game, Rivers was still impressed with Thursday’s defensive effort against Brooklyn.

“I was very encouraged,” said Rivers. “That was the first time we’ve done it this year so far. We’ve had stretches where we’ve played good defense, but I thought the other night we were locked in, took away a lot of the stuff that we hadn’t been doing on pick and roll defense against Deron Williams, who’s arguably one of the best pick and roll players in the league.

“If we can play defense like that every night, I’d be a happy man. And we can.”

Reference: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/20221021doc_gives_positive_prognosis/srvc=sports&position=also

Anybody know who the script writer is for the C's? It seems ALL the players say exactly the right thing. Tis music to my ears, uh, I mean eyes, uh, well, you know.