Boston Celtics: Is Jeff Green’s Production Finally Meeting His Potential?

Jeff Green has been solid of late after an inconsistent return from heart surgery. Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule

The Boston Celtics might need to rebuild after this season.

The Celtics are third at 34-28 in the Atlantic Division, five games behind the New York Knicks. Most likely they’ll face the Knicks in the first round in the playoffs. If they don’t succeed, expect some moves to be made in Boston.

Many question marks remain on the Celtics’ roster. Among them is forward Jeff Green, who is in his fifth year in the NBA and averages 11.1 points per game this season. The Associated Press (via Yahoo Sports) reported Green had surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm on Dec. 19, 2011. Green missed the entire 2011-12 season and is back in his first full season since his heart surgery.

Green came back to a slow start, but has shown progress. The first three months showed inconsistency from the forward where he’d have  a good game then follow it up with two weak showings. For example, Green scored 15 points in a 93-78 win over the Brooklyn Nets Dec. 25 and then followed up with an eight-point performance in a 106-77 loss against the Los Angeles Clippers Dec. 27. Green then scored six points Dec. 28 in a 101-83 loss to the Golden State Warriors

Green started to show glimpses of his old self through the month of February. He averaged 16.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks a game. Who is the real Jeff Green? More importantly, is Jeff Green’s performance finally showing his potential?

Let’s revisit his career. In his five-year tenure, Green averaged 13.4 points per game. In his sophomore year in Oklahoma City he blossomed averaging 16.5 points per game and  shot 44.6 percent from the field.

Now, Green shoots 45.4 percent; it’s a better shot selection from the field and his best yet. Keep in mind this is also after his heart surgery.

Green’s latest string of games proves that Green is getting better. He scored 45 points in the first three games in March, all victories. He scored 18 in a 94-86 victory against the Warriors, 16 in a 109-101 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers and 11 in a 83-81 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Jeff Green is only starting to reach his potential. If his health holds up, Green could not only live up to the hype but also surpass it.