CHICAGOEven though the premise that Jeff Green would be a backup to Paul Pierce is still legit, they are proving that they can be effective on the floor at the same time.
That was indeed the case in the fourth quarter of Boston's 96-92 win at Milwaukee on Saturday.
Green's most productive stretch of the game scoring the ball came during a two minute period in the fourth quarter when he and Pierce were on the floor at the same time.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
While most will remember the shoot-out that ensued between Paul Pierce and Milwaukee's Monta Ellis, there was a 2:22 stretch of time in which Green scored six of the Celtics' eight points which included a lay-up that put them on top, 74-72.
"When you got a guy like that attacking the way he can, it opens the floor up for myself and others," Green said. "It opens up the floor when he's scoring the way he did against Milwaukee. It opens up all avenues."
It seemed to achieve what no amount of pep talks and words of encouragement could do -- it made Jeff Green aggressive.
The way Green attacked the rim on drive attempts was the kind of fearless but focused brand of basketball the Celtics are dying to see out of him more often.
"I love being on the floor with him," Green said of Pierce. "And when he's not on the floor, I have to try and duplicate what he does."
But he admits playing his game is a lot easier when Pierce is on the floor with him.
"You can't help off him," Green said. "That's going to help create a lane. It makes it a little easier to drive because you don't have guys packing it in, in the lane."