There aren’t a whole lot of expectations for the Celtics this season, but Jeff Green may have the most pressure out of anyone on Boston.
Rajon Rondo is recovering from injury and is probable to be back around December. Even though he’s expected to be productive he may get a little bit of leeway if he struggles. Brad Stevens is fresh out of college coaching and will have to adjust himself to the NBA.
The pressure will likely go to Jeff Green this year whether that’s fair or not. Green needs to show the fans of Boston that he was worth holding onto after giving up Pierce, Garnett, and Terry.
Now why would the pressure be on Green? What did he do? Well remember how Green arrived in Boston? Danny Ainge decided to give up a very popular player in Kendrick Perkins. A player who may have helped them vitally that year in the front-court where they struggled.
After playing half the season in 2011 Green was sidelined for the entire 2011-2012 season after he was diagnosed with aortic aneurysm and had surgery for it.
The sympathy was there for Green. He made a full recovery and was excited to finally be a part of the Celtics for a full season. Ainge definitely saw something in Green when he resigned him to a four year, $36 million contract in August of 2012.
Green subsequently didn’t get off to a terrific start last season. Other than a couple of highlight dunks early he didn’t seem to find his niche on the Celtics.
Then Rajon Rondo went down, and everyone had to step up. Green was visibly a different player in the wake of Rondo’s injury.
Now the expectations are higher for him this season. Green is now the new go-to player offensively, especially with Rondo out.
To be fair these expectations haven’t just come out of nowhere. Green has shown potential of what he’s capable of. It wasn’t just his 43 point performance against the Heat; it could have come from his 20.3 ppg in the playoffs against the Knicks.
Green has given Boston a reason to be excited and expect a lot from him.
Now Green isn’t expected to be an MVP candidate. That’s not realistic, but he is expected to be a caliber small forward in the east and able to hold his own. When Rondo makes his return he and Green along with an improved Avery Bradley will be challenging trio to go up against.
They won’t exactly be the big three, but they’ll be on the right track and for that to work, Green needs to be a go to player this season.
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