Can we all agree Jeff Green is a number 3 scoring option at best?

[Boris Badenov]

He's not a gut who can score any given defender (whether physically or mentally or some combo of the two), but when he gets it in his head that he can take a guy, then has some success with it, he can be a #1 on those nights. 

So, um, yeh...That's not really #1 material.

No, until he develops something different from a spot-up jump shot and a one-dribble drive to the right, he remains a situational, rather than a go-to scorer. This has nothing to do with what's going on in his head.

Even his one go-to move - that dribble-drive - is something he gets off only because of his superior length and leaping ability. Most other players would get stuffed every time trying that, but Green can get away with it because of his elite athleticism.

You'd think he would have picked up a thing or two from Pierce by now.

[LooseCannon]

Green is better off trying to become one of the best multi-positional defenders who can sometimes score than to be a better scoring option.  Basically, he should try to be more like a poor man's Shawn Marion than to try to replace Paul Pierce.

[Celtics4ever]

Even his one go-to move - that dribble-drive - is something he gets off only because of his superior length and leaping ability

I get scared when he dribbles as he has a suspect handle.  Sometimes it simply goes off his foot.   I wanted to see him filling the lanes next to Rondo on the break.

[coco]

JG can be whatever he wants to be.  But, yes I agree.  He chooses to be a 2nd or 3rd option .....only if he had the rediculously misseplaced confidence Jordan Crawford has,  he would be such a dominant player.   Oh well....

[cman88]

whenever green starts he tends to get 20ppg but its in the flow of the game it seems. I think he can be a scorer..but he's not your "go to guy" in clutch situations

for us right now thats pierce

I think a better question is in the future, Is rondo your #1?? or is he a #2 and we need to find a #1?

I would like to see Rondo become more of a scorer next year average something like 17ppg...we know he CAN do it as he has done in the playoffs..but its whether he wants to or not

[Galeto]

Green had a spin move against the Knicks.  It was good to see.  Now I await the hesitation dribble and crossover.  I think he tried a crossover after bringing up the ball but badly muffed it into a turnover.  Baby steps, JG, baby steps. 

[kozlodoev]

Even his one go-to move - that dribble-drive - is something he gets off only because of his superior length and leaping ability

I get scared when he dribbles as he has a suspect handle.  Sometimes it simply goes off his foot.   I wanted to see him filling the lanes next to Rondo on the break.

He absolutely does not have suspect handle (even more so for a man his size). Avery Bradley has suspect handle (and Terry is pretty close to him in that regard, too).

[bfrombleacher]

Don't know why Doc doesn't go to Jeff in the post more. He's a huge strong SF.

[CelticConcourse]

Don't know why Doc doesn't go to Jeff in the post more. He's a huge strong SF.

Agreed. Iso him on the low block more!

[Galeto]

Even his one go-to move - that dribble-drive - is something he gets off only because of his superior length and leaping ability

I get scared when he dribbles as he has a suspect handle.  Sometimes it simply goes off his foot.   I wanted to see him filling the lanes next to Rondo on the break.

He absolutely does not have suspect handle (even more so for a man his size). Avery Bradley has suspect handle (and Terry is pretty close to him in that regard, too).

You think Terry has a suspect handle?  Really?  The guy played a pretty credible point guard for many years of his career.  He is a fine ballhandler who can slip through little cracks on the dribble as well as dribble fullcourt without the ball slowing him down. 

I think Green's handle is pretty below-average.  For one it's very basic and right hand dominant.  Two, when he tries to speed up and break someone down, he is prone to losing the ball in a variety of ways.  For his height is irrelevant to me because there are guys his height like Lebron and Durant who handle the ball much better.  Carmelo is Green's height and not a great ballhandler either but I'd still consider him an appreciably better ballhandler.

[Clench123]

You know when Jeff is (and only) your third scoring option, you're in trouble

[Boris Badenov]

Even his one go-to move - that dribble-drive - is something he gets off only because of his superior length and leaping ability

I get scared when he dribbles as he has a suspect handle.  Sometimes it simply goes off his foot.   I wanted to see him filling the lanes next to Rondo on the break.

He absolutely does not have suspect handle (even more so for a man his size). Avery Bradley has suspect handle (and Terry is pretty close to him in that regard, too).

Green has a pretty high TO % for someone who doesn't create for others. His and Pierce's are roughly equal but Pierce gets three times as many assist per minute.

Only one person on the team has an ast/to ratio worse than Green - Chris Wilcox. As far as SFs go Green is one of a handful (Beasley, old friend Gerald Green, Jan Vesely, Earl Clark, etc.) who turn the ball over more often than getting an assist.

On those metrics Bradley is not great but not awful either. His numbers are similar to the Ray Allen/ Jimmer Fredette/ JJ Redick profile, in that he doesn't turn it over all that much but also rarely creates for others. The difference of course is that those guys are much better shooters.

Terry doesn't look bad stats-wise but my eyes tell me that his TOs are often costlier than average. I have no data to back that up.

Bottom line is that we just don't have too many guys who are good ball handlers for their positions.

[Galeto]

Even his one go-to move - that dribble-drive - is something he gets off only because of his superior length and leaping ability

I get scared when he dribbles as he has a suspect handle.  Sometimes it simply goes off his foot.   I wanted to see him filling the lanes next to Rondo on the break.

He absolutely does not have suspect handle (even more so for a man his size). Avery Bradley has suspect handle (and Terry is pretty close to him in that regard, too).

Green has a pretty high TO % for someone who doesn't create for others. His and Pierce's are roughly equal but Pierce gets three times as many assist per minute.

Only one person on the team has an ast/to ratio worse than Green - Chris Wilcox. As far as SFs go Green is one of a handful (Beasley, old friend Gerald Green, Jan Vesely, Earl Clark, etc.) who turn the ball over more often than getting an assist.

On those metrics Bradley is not great but not awful either. His numbers are similar to the Ray Allen/ Jimmer Fredette/ JJ Redick profile, in that he doesn't turn it over all that much but also rarely creates for others. The difference of course is that those guys are much better shooters.

Terry doesn't look bad stats-wise but my eyes tell me that his TOs are often costlier than average. I have no data to back that up.

Bottom line is that we just don't have too many guys who are good ball handlers for their positions.

Turnovers and assist to turnover ratio aren't indicators of handle.  Ballhandling ability plays a role but those things are more reflective of decision making, risk taking and passing ability. 

Absent of metrics from those swanky high tech cameras that can track player's speed, acceleration, how times they dribble and etc, ballhandling is a scouting judgment, not number based.

[kgainez]

No, I think he could be a #2 option on a championship team.  Don't dismiss his defense, either.

But I see him with 18-20 as a starter with plays actually run for him.  That's about where championship Celtics team #2's have been.

i agree. at BEST a #2...you know he doesn't want to be a #1
but look at the way when KG or PP hit the floor after a TO we call at least 3 plays b2b for them...something we don't do with JG (I've never noticed)...imagine if we actually did that.
He could easily be a 20+ppg player

but he doesn't have to be..#3 would do too.

[crimson_stallion]

Even his one go-to move - that dribble-drive - is something he gets off only because of his superior length and leaping ability

I get scared when he dribbles as he has a suspect handle.  Sometimes it simply goes off his foot.   I wanted to see him filling the lanes next to Rondo on the break.

He absolutely does not have suspect handle (even more so for a man his size). Avery Bradley has suspect handle (and Terry is pretty close to him in that regard, too).

You think Terry has a suspect handle?  Really?  The guy played a pretty credible point guard for many years of his career.  He is a fine ballhandler who can slip through little cracks on the dribble as well as dribble fullcourt without the ball slowing him down. 

I think Green's handle is pretty below-average.  For one it's very basic and right hand dominant.  Two, when he tries to speed up and break someone down, he is prone to losing the ball in a variety of ways.  For his height is irrelevant to me because there are guys his height like Lebron and Durant who handle the ball much better.  Carmelo is Green's height and not a great ballhandler either but I'd still consider him an appreciably better ballhandler.

Agreed.

Love Green, but he is certainly not a good ball handler.  Really struggles under any type of pressure, and even when hea relatively open he looks awkward and uncomfortable with the ball.