Green: I gotta be a leader for the second unit

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Jeff Green is a laid-back person by nature, and he has been criticized in the past for being too laid-back, too passive, on the court.

But as a defacto leader for Boston's second unit -- through two preseason European exhibition games, at least -- it appears as though his aggressiveness and leadership is starting to shine through.

"I gotta be a leader," Green said after the C's win in Milan on Sunday. "I gotta be able to play both ends, lead by example. I gotta learn from the guys ahead of me. I have future Hall of Famers in front of me to learn from: Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. There's a future Hall of Famer in Rajon Rondo and Jason Terry. I have a lot of people to look up to as far as leadership. So far through two games i think i'm doing a good job."

Doc Rivers said that he likes how Green has ben playing as one of the leaders of the second unit, but he believes he can be effective as a role player with the starters as well. It all comes down to his health and his familiarity in the system.

"I think it just benefits that he's had a training camp," Rivers said. "He's healthy, he knows all the guys now. It's not like coming into a strange team. I just think he's a comfortable player. I think when he plays with the starters he'll be just as effective because he'll be the 3rd or 4th guy that they're worried about defensively. When he's with the second unit, he may be the first guy but he's still being effective."

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