Danny Green Was Ready When Called On In Game 2

In Game 2 against the New York Knicks, Danny Green made his proper Cleveland Cavaliers debut.

Green cameoed for the Cavs late in the regular season, most notably in a game against the Orlando Magic
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where he played 26 minutes and scored 21 points. He also has a skillset – three-and-d wing, plus playoff experience – that the Cavs are lacking.

The problem was that Green was coming off of a torn ACL and, at age 35, perhaps not up for regular minutes. He also missed a handful of games when he was placed in the league’s health & safety protocols.

“A whirlwind,” Green said before the playoffs when asked to describe what his Cavs tenure had been like so far. “When you get older, you bounce around a little bit and try to find a home. Figuring out and seeing whether you’re going to get some minutes or not, trying to get healthy and stay healthy, build a rhythm. It’s been a different one, a new one for me. A rollercoaster for sure.”

“You know what Danny is capable of,” J.B. Bickerstaff said. “I think his thing was he just was going to have to get opportunities and get reps to play. We had a plan for him prior to him getting sick and then that kind of made an adjustment. Isaac going down for as long as he did, that kind of made an adjustment to it. We know and he said it time and time again that he’ll be ready for the playoffs and he’ll be ready when his number is called.”

Green had his number called in Game 2 after not playing in Game 1. Perhaps indicating what was to come, Green worked out slightly earlier pregame than he has since joining the Cavs. And, during the first quarter, he went back into the tunnel to do band work when he’d normally be sitting on the bench. He played 19 minutes, scoring 3 points on 1-2 shooting (both from three) to go with 3 rebounds and 2 steals. His one three-pointers – a catch-and-shoot look from the corner in transition – made Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse explode.

The three-pointer was nice – and something the Cavs need from their role players. It gives him a function offensively off Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. And he’s a shooter opposing defenses respect – something doesn’t happen when Isaac Okoro is in the corner and the Knicks sag off and pack the paint.

But it was Green’s defense that allowed him to play an effective 20 minutes. At 35, Green isn’t the apex versatile wing defender he was – he just doesn’t have the footspeed to track guards like Jalen Brunson or Immanuel Quickley at the point of attack anymore.

What he does have is strength and the ability to defend up from the wing. That made him Cleveland’s best non-Evan Mobley option to defend Julius Randle, especially with Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens not playing.

Randle is a bruiser – when he drives into a defender and makes contact, he pushes them back and onto their heels. Green, at 6’6” and 215 pounds, held up against Randle. When the Knicks tried to press that matchup, Green held up. NBA.com’s lineup data, while imperfect, backs that up.

“Not going to lie, I was a little tired,” Green said. “The first couple stints, haven’t played intense basketball in a while. But once I got my feet under me, I started getting used to it.”

Heading into Game 3, Green needs to be in the Cavs’ rotation. He figures to come off of the bench alongside Caris LeVert and Cedi Osman. It’s also another wing option inbcase J.B. Bickerstaff doesn’t trust Isaac Okoro. Okoro only played 2 minutes and 45 seconds in Game 2 after picking up two early fouls.

“We’re figuring it out on the fly a little bit,” Green said. “Biggest thing is just [to] compete.”