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Tim BontempsESPN
TORONTO – Danny Green, of the Raptors, knows very well how well he fought in the finals of the Eastern Conference against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The problem for Green is that everyone is aware of it.
"Keep shooting," Green said Monday when asked how he was coming out of a crisis. "Do not think about that, and it's hard not to think about it because everyone in the world says do not think about it, [and] everyone you meet [is telling you] Keep shooting.
"People send me a message not to think about it." I know it … I do not ask myself a question.
"But keep turning, do not think about it and try to block the noise of the media, your inbox and all the others telling you not to think about it."
Everyone in Toronto thought of Green's fight with the Bucks, as the generally reliable veteran shooter – Green shot 45.5% back behind the 3-point bow in the regular season – was 4-23 ( 15.3%) against behind the Bow against Milwaukee, including 14 of his last 15 attempts.
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If it had been said in Toronto that Green would enter such a crisis before the show, the Raptors would not have trusted their chances. But Green was lucky in that Fred VanVleet – who had been mired in his own doldrums since the start of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers through match 3 against the Bucks – has radically transformed the last three games of the series.
While Green could not hit a 3, VanVleet could hardly miss, going from 14 to 17 for 4th and 6th places – after the birth of his second child, Fred Jr., between the third and fourth matches – to help the Raptors to win four consecutive games and move on to their first NBA Finals in franchise history.
"I have clean looks," Green said. "I just did not have the pace I was hoping to get, but Norm [Powell]and Fred, they looked great because they handled the ball better, they had more ball machines on the ground at that time they could tackle and meet. They had open eyes and they had a rhythm and, of course, sometimes they did not keep Norm as a shooter, then he started to hit them, then they started to play him closely and they both attacked the basket and his game. goes to the edge, goes to the basket.
"But he did a lot of good things for us, and then Fred, just his activity and his emotion … God thank you for Freddie Jr. He looked good and he was knocking them out."
However, for the Raptors to do what many believe is impossible and beat the Golden State Warriors at the NBA finals, they will need Green to return to his old life. Although VanVleet can play effectively alongside Kyle Lowry instead of Green in the backcourt of Toronto against Milwaukee, it will be more difficult against Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
In addition to this, Green is one of many key raptors – with Kawhi Leonard, Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol – who played Golden State in the playoffs. Raptors coach Nick Nurse is hoping to build on this institutional knowledge to prepare to slow down the double defenseman before the first game at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night.
"Yes, I think that helps, of course," said Nurse, adding that deputy Adrian Griffin had also faced the Warriors several times after working under Billy Donovan in Oklahoma City over the past two years. seasons. "I think the only important thing you have to go with is that you can keep them, right, and those guys at least have played them.
"There are a lot of good ideas from a lot of guys, and we certainly open our ears and listen to our guys, why would not you, man?
"These are the ones over there, those who have already pbaded through."
As the series against the Bucks continued, Green was less and less present. The Raptors simply could not afford to see him miss shot after game.
Toronto hopes that a new opponent and a new series will allow Green to return to what he has spent all season for the Raptors: succeeding in shots.
For Toronto to have a chance, they will need him.
"I think it's a new series for Danny," Lowry said. "I think this series has gone in a certain way, it's over with now, I do not think it counts for anything, I do not think anything of that." The last series is important, except that we find a way to win games, which is what we keep this series, Danny will be fine.
"Game 1, he'll be ready to go."
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