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One of the reasons I'm a little easy on Jeff Green is because I can't separate the man from the player. He's just, by all accounts, a really nice guy that's been through a lot and I'm rooting for him. So I've seen him struggle and lack aggression and do all the things that people criticize him for and I cringe but I don't usually slam him for it. That's just me and I don't make any attempts to be overly objective.
The funny thing is, according to Kevin Garnett, Green has to be less of a nice guy if he wants to succeed.
Green finally asserts himself - BostonHerald.com
"I told Jeff to start going to the basket a little more," said Kevin Garnett. "He hasn’t been in the best rhythm, we all know that. "I felt like after the dunk (attempt), he was a different player. He was going to the hole. He was rebounding with force. "You know, Jeff’s a really, really nice guy, and some nights, you know, you’ve just got to be an (expletive). You’ve got to be . . . I can’t really say what I want to say, but he’s got to be that. And I felt like after the dunk he was aggressive. He was gritty Jeff, and when he’s like that he’s hard to stop. He’s really hard to stop."
Obviously KG isn't saying he should kick photographers and run up in the stands to fight fans. But there's something to be said about playing with a little bit of an edge. In particular on this team where there are no league buddies and everyone else is the enemy.
It is pretty encouraging that he had a very good second half yesterday (even if it was a small sample size). We can hope that's a sign of things to come instead of an aberration. Maybe he'll be able to channel a little bit of his inner jerk (on the court at least).