Getty Philadelphia 76ers G/F Danny Green reacts to a call during a game at Wells Fargo Center.
Danny Green has never been a player who commands a lot of attention from hoops pundits or the national media. That hasn’t changed in the months since he was dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers, either, and why would it?
The team has a trio of stars getting numbers and grabbing headlines in Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris, as well as multiple supporting players that make for better media fodder.
In other words, same as it ever was.
“You can say that’s been his whole career,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers observed earlier this season. “No one talked about him in San Antonio. They had Tim Duncan and [Manu] Ginobili and [Tony] Parker and all those other guys. No one talked about him in Toronto. They had Kyle Lowry and Kawhi [Leonard]. No one talked about him last year with the Lakers.”
They’re not really talking about him now, either.
Nevertheless, Green has been a major factor in the Sixers’ ascent to the top of the Eastern Conference this season. He’s still that guy who quietly goes about his business, and business has been good.
Especially during the NBA Playoffs.
The latest Sixers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Sixers newsletter here!
Green Is Burning up the Nets
Through three postseason contests, the top-seeded Sixers have done the same thing they were doing throughout the 2020-21 campaign — dominating.
They’ve beaten the Washington Wizards by an average of 20.3 points per game en route to building a 3-0 series lead. Along the way, the aforementioned trio has put up a combined 68.6 points, 25.3 rebounds and 16.1 assists per contest.
In the meantime, Green has sneakily managed to scorch the nets as no other postseason player has so far.
In Saturday night’s win over the Wiz, Green knocked down five three-point shots in nine tries en route to scoring 15 points for Philly. As a result, the Sixers outscored the Wizards by 32 points when he was on the floor, the best individual mark on the team.
Green’s big night from behind the arc was just his latest shooting exhibition, though. Against Washington, the veteran wing has connected on 60% of his attempts from distance (9-of-15) and it has clearly opened things up for the Sixers.
The team is scoring an incredible 148.2 points per 100 possessions when Green is on the floor this postseason. That’s the No. 1 offensive rating league-wide among players who have logged at last 20 total minutes. Using the same court-time qualifier, he also boasts the best true shooting percentage of 86.1.
Simply put, he can’t miss — and it’s making a huge impact on a Sixers offense that occasionally left something to be desired during the regular season.
Moving Up in the Record Books
Green’s torrid start to the 2021 playoffs isn’t just helping the Sixers win on the down-low. It has also helped move his name up in the postseason record books.
After his five bombs on Saturday, Green’s career playoff total for three-point makes currently stands at 278. Consequently, he has moved past Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce and into the 12th spot all-time in the category.
He may not be finished, either.
If, as fans, pundits and the team all expect, Philly is able to go on a long playoff run, Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant and J.R. Smith are all within striking distance as well. If he can pass them, Green will find himself in the top 10 all-time.
READ NEXT: Joel Embiid Explains ‘Thrusting the Process’