Toronto Raptors: Danny Green still deserves his starting spot

The Toronto Raptors’ Danny Green has been somewhat of a disappointment this postseason. Despite his offensive struggles, Green still deserves to start during the NBA Finals.

Danny Green is a ten-year NBA veteran and a classic example of someone that’s won at every level. If the Toronto Raptors turned away from him now, one step away from the ultimate prize, it would be a huge mistake.

Green played four years of college basketball at the University of North Carolina before being drafted into the NBA. In his senior year, UNC won the NCAA tournament, and Green was a big reason why. He was an elite shooter with an NBA body, and he knew how to defend.

Green was drafted in the second round by the Cleveland Cavaliers but was waived after one season. Early in his career, the physicality and speed of the NBA game was overwhelming for Green, as it is for many players.

The San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs picked up Green after he was waived, evidently seeing promise in him.

Like many before and since Green began to thrive as a role player for the Spurs. The Spurs’ offensive system gave him room to play to his strengths, and to perfect them.

Green’s ability to knock down open three-point shots got him on the floor, and his defensive skills kept him there.

Green was the Spurs’ starting shooting guard for six years, winning a championship during that time, and coming excruciatingly close to winning another.

Green is a career 40-percent three-point shooter and had an outrageously good shooting performance in the 2013 NBA Finals, hitting 27 of 49 three-point attempts.

Green’s success as a member of the Spurs is impressive, but statistically speaking, Green’s best shooting season has been this year in Toronto. Green has started every game he’s played in since joining the Raptors and has contributed immensely to the team’s success.

The 2019 postseason

The playoffs, however, have a way of changing players – for better or for worse.

Green is shooting just over 30-percent from the three-point line this postseason, which has essentially eliminated him as a factor on the offensive end.

The lowest point for Green was in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. He didn’t score in double-digits in any of the games and was eventually benched for Fred VanVleet.

When asked about it, Green acknowledges that he’s struggling, and simply says he will keep shooting and hope to eventually get back on track. The most important thing to be taken away from Green’s performance during the playoffs is his positive attitude and determination to get through it.

Green’s defense is consistently stellar, and even when his shot doesn’t fall, he’s still a valuable player.

With that being said, Nick Nurse has shown he’s willing to play whoever has the hot hand, and if it continues to be VanVleet, Green may see his minutes reduced again.

Before VanVleet’s series-saving Game 5 performance against the Bucks, many were questioning why Nurse was playing him at all – VanVleet had been awful ever since Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

Nurse decided to stick with him, and it paid off. Nurse should extend the same courtesy to Green, who is an exemplary professional and proven winner.

If Raptors fans can depend on one thing, it’s that Danny Green will continue to work hard and play the right way. All that’s left is for the shots to fall.