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NEW YORK – Gerald Green was in the spirit of giving Sunday afternoon. Not only because it was Christmas Day, but also because it was his mother, Brenda's birthday, and he wanted to treat her to a special show on national television under the bright lights at Madison Square Garden.
Green entered the noontime matchup against the New York Knicks facing some uncertainty regarding his playing time, since he hadn’t seen much game action during the past month. He had checked in for 18 total minutes during Boston’s previous 16 games, but Brad Stevens gifted him with a dozen minutes Sunday afternoon.
And the veteran guard delivered the goods.
Green gave Boston a much-needed boost of energy off the bench, as he tallied eight points, four rebounds (two of which were offensive), a block, a steal and an assist. He also tied Marcus Smart with a game-high plus/minus rating of plus-17, which helped drive Boston to a 119-114 win over the Knicks.
“I love Christmas, man,” Green said with an ear-to-ear grin after the win. “Christmas has always been a special day for me, not only because it’s my mom’s birthday, but, you know, you get a couple of gifts every now and then.”
Green is no stranger to experiencing Christmas joy on the basketball court. Last season when he was with the Heat he made his Christmas Day debut and delivered a well-rounded, six-point, six-rebound, four-steal effort, as Miami ousted the New Orleans Pelicans with a six-point victory.
Sunday’s Christmas performance felt a little extra special for Green because of his current situation in Boston’s rotation. Green has been fighting for playing time all season, but has not earned a consistent role because of the Celtics’ immense depth.
“It’s tough at times,” Green said of his limited role with the team, “but you just gotta stay motivated. You just gotta try to get your extra work in.
“I give a lot of praise to the coaches and to the players for keeping me ready, keeping me engaged at all times.”
This time, it was Green receiving praise, and deservedly so after stepping up and providing Boston with a nice offensive stimulus off the bench.
“That’s what it’s about: next man up,” said Isaiah Thomas, who logged a team-high 27 points. “When your name’s called, take advantage of your opportunity.
“It was a hell of a game by Gerald Green. He doesn’t know when he’s going to be getting in the game, and he just stays ready. He came in and he was a spark for us, and we needed that.”
Green first entered the game for Boston at the 8:06 mark of the second quarter when the C’s were down, 34-31.
It took him less than 30 seconds to make his first basket – a running jumper at the 7:39 mark – which gave Boston a little electricity after a slow offensive start.
Over the ensuing couple of minutes, Green delivered on both ends of the floor with rebounds, a key assist, and some hustle plays that allowed Boston to take a lead.
Once the Celtics took that lead, they never trailed again.
“Gerald was one of the reasons why our energy picked up,” said Smart, who came off the bench and tallied 17 points and a late, clutch 3-pointer. “He’s been talking to us on the bench, all day every game – he’s been consistent with that. And then for him to come in and create the energy that we needed was big for us.”
While Green has not played much this season, his veteran presence on the sidelines has made an immense impact on Boston’s young roster. During training camp, former Celtic guard R.J. Hunter referred to Green as his ‘Zen master’ because of the veteran’s wise, encouraging demeanor.
The consistently positive attitude that Green displays, despite his circumstances in the rotation, is one of the reasons why Brad Stevens was overjoyed that the 30-year-old delivered a memorable performance during Sunday’s unique occasion.
“Nobody deserved to play better today than Gerald, and everybody should be happy for him,” said Stevens. “I thought he gave us a great lift.”
Green’s “great lift” also gave the C’s a great gift: A Christmas Day win that doubled as a birthday gift to his mother, as well as a cherishable memory for himself.