2019 NBA Finals: Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors preview
By Ananth Para
Key Question No.2: Can the real Danny Green please stand up?
The Raptors need Danny Green 2.0 in this series — end of story.
NBA fans can expect 3-and-D specialist Danny Green to get the lion’s share of backcourt minutes, regardless of whether his shot is falling or not.
The former NBA champion can expect to guard and chase Steph Curry and Klay Thompson more than any other player on the Toronto Raptors, but if he can regain his touch from deep, it could alter the outlook of the entire series.
After averaging 10.3 points per game on 45.5 percent shooting from deep in the regular season, the specialist has plummeted to 6.3 points per game on 31.4 percent shooting from deep.
That’s not going to cut it.
Danny Green has slowly become the gold standard of what every NBA Finals contender needs: a gritty 3-point specialist able to guard star guards for 10-12 minute stretches without breaking a sweat.
If Green can resemble his championship year performance throughout his 23-game playoff stretch (9.3 points per game and 47.5 percent from deep, respectively), the Raptors go from being a threat to the Warriors dynasty to becoming the biggest threat they have faced yet.