Gerald Green has silently worked to become one of the top bench performers on the Houston Rockets. Is the former Slam Dunk champ the most unsung reserve in all of basketball?
In spite of playing on a team that has sought to feature a dynamic backcourt duo throughout his current tenure with the organization, Houston Rockets forward Gerald Green has found a way to make his own mark by doing what is required to earn minutes in Mike D’Antoni‘s perimeter-happy offense.
The 33-year-old — who finished in the top five among reserves in 3-pointers made last year — would bounce back strong following a lethargic start in his most recent campaign, averaging 16.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per 36 minutes on 40 percent shooting from the field in 73 appearances for Houston.
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On top of regaining his stroke in the process, as the veteran journeyman averaged a season-best 12.6 points per game off the bench, en route to shooting 38.3 percent from downtown through 12 games in the month of February.
Yet despite turning things around prior to the latter portion of the regular season, Green’s success would fail to carry over during the Rockets recent playoff run, as the man who displayed the ability to score in bunches proved to be too inconsistent to play at the most opportune time.
Green — who averaged 20.2 minutes per game during Clutch City’s previous 82-game slate — would only log double-digit minutes twice in Houston’s epic six-game bout against the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 Western Conference semifinals.
Just months after showing signs of progressing upward, as Green averaged a woeful 3.3 points per game on just 30 percent shooting from the field in the series.
However, Green’s postseason mishaps would only mark the start of what was to come, as many who had come to adore the city’s native son wondered if the Rockets would have anything to gain by welcoming him back at the onset of free agency.
Gerald Green had a 123 defensive rating in 7 minutes per game. That margin? That’s the game in several close contests.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) May 11, 2019
House 114.5
Shumpert 114.3
Only Tucker and CP3 had defensive ratings below 110.
Now, Green has the concrete answer to what all was once public speculation, after those who questioned his fit on the team will now have to wait yet another year to do so again.
The hometown kid is back in the Space City.
"“I can’t wait for that,” Green recently said per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle when asked about the upcoming season and his morale going into the final Rockets unofficial minicamp in Las Vegas prior to the start of training camp next week. “Honestly, I wish the season was today. I know [Russell] Westbrook is coming to a new home; James [Harden] feels like he has his buddy back.”“Everybody’s in a good state of mind…I’ve been just mentally locked in on things. Normally in the summertime I would relax more, do things more. Now, I’m really doing a good job taking care of my body. I’m eating healthy, drinking more water, conditioning way earlier than I ever have…I’m really doing a lot of proper things that I haven’t done.”"
Although players from the likes of Harden, Chris Paul, Clint Capela and Eric Gordon have spawned the most buzz when it comes to discussions involving Rockets basketball over the last two years, one could assert that Green has arguably been the league’s most underrated reserve during that the following stretch.
Since making his return to Houston in December 2017, Green has hit more 3-pointers than any reserve in the NBA, averaging 10.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in just 21.1 minutes of action.
On the way towards becoming just one of five players to average at least 10 points per game in less than 22 minutes of playing time through 100 games in the same time span, as the Rockets have posted a 44-15 record in contests where the former Slam Dunk champ has scored in double figures during his second stint in H-Town.
"“He’s earned a lot of trust from everybody,” Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni said per Adam Spolane of SportsRadio 610 Houston when asked about Green’s contributions to the team since returning almost two years ago. “The thing I like about him is just that he’ll just play 15 minutes and get 10 [3-pointers] up and probably will make a bunch of them, so he’s instant offense and we need that, and he’s trying hard on defense.“He’s athletic, and he can run the floor…we got lucky with him, very lucky.”"
Should Green come back in tip-top shape as his latest offseason workouts indicate, then there is a strong chance that the player who struggled in the postseason could be ready for a chance to gain full redemption soon.
The player that shot a better percentage from 3-point range last season than Danny Green, Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant and LeBron James appears to be more than motivated to put together his best year to date.