Danny Green still has to improve

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Created on Wednesday, 11 July 2012 04:42

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 May 2013 07:51

Written by David Rountree

Green has accepted a 3 year / $11.3 million dollar contract from the San Antonio Spurs. He was pivotal in the Spurs outstanding run this post season, but fell flat in the Western Conference Finals. Green averaged a woeful 3ppg and shot 26 percent from the field, this after averaging 12ppg while shooting 57 percent in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.

Green’s game proved to be very one-dimensional; he has the talent to be so much more than a simple spot-up shooter.  They are several things he needs to focus on in the off season to help further legitimize his new contract.


1) Ball-Handling

-  The Spurs as a team has an unusually small amount of ball-handlers after you consider the amount of guards they have—they need to see some improvement next season. Green for one, showed an inability to drive to the basket properly in the playoffs; teams would run him off the three point line and he would simply flounder after that. He has the youth and the athletic ability to finish strong at the basket, but he must make himself more comfortable handling the basketball. If he starts to blow pass defenders then it will also give him more room to shoot beyond the arc, but he needs that versatility in his game to gain that advantage.

It would also help his ability to create his own offense; he was so dependent on Tony Parker’s ability to penetrate in the paint last season. Parker needs help offensively in the backcourt and Green as a starter needs to step up. That includes taking on some of the ball-handling responsibilities.

2) Mid-Range

-  Green proved to be an excellent three-point shooter this season, so moving into the mid-range game should be a capable transition.  He shoots way too many three pointers and even though the Spurs’ system plays into that, he should still shoot more shots closer to the rim.  The ability to hit this shot will propel him to another level and keep defenders guessing.
Basketball is a sport where the versatile survive and the predictable are contained. Green next year should be able to run off screens and nail the mid-range jumper—similar to Tony Parker.  It also wouldn’t hurt Green to try to add floater/running lay-up to his repertoire; he needs to become more offensively minded. He was solid all year but only averaged 9ppg for the season.

Green needs to soak up all the knowledge he can from champions Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. They are both experts at ball-handling, finishing at the basket, and mid-range jumpers. Look for Green to come into the next season with a chip on his shoulder as the Spurs try to make another run at that allusive fifth title.