The Toronto Raptors have only won one championship in their relatively short history. In their miraculous 2018-19 postseason run, it was Kawhi Leonard who was the most memorable performer.
However, Danny Green also played a key role. Now, the 15-year NBA veteran has retired, making the announcement on Instagram on Thursday.
Though he only played one season with the Raptors, his brief tenure deserves some reflection.
Green was traded to Toronto as part of the San Antonio Spurs’ decision to swap Leonard for DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan, now with the Sacramento Kings, had spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Raptors after being drafted ninth overall in 2009. Suffice it to say, it was a serious decision for both franchises, as Leonard was a former Finals MVP.
Unfortunately for Toronto, DeRozan had been unable to get past LeBron James, then with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Leonard had tremendous success against James in the playoffs, but was in a contentious situation with the Spurs due to injury concerns. With the focus on those two, Green was really just a throw-in.
Or so it seemed. In the regular season, Green nailed 45.5% of his threes while playing hard-nosed defense. This was a major factor in their ability to have the second-best record in the East at 58-24. With the Raptors going 32-9 at home, the homecourt advantage they received throughout the playoffs was significant.
In the playoffs, Green’s practically pristine jumper was off-center. However, he was on target when it mattered most, shooting 36.4% from three-point range against the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals. With Klay Thompson at the top of his game, they needed every one of Green’s green beans.
He was particularly valuable in Game 3. With the series tied 1-1, Green scored 18 points while going 6-10 from beyond the arc.
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