Won't Get Fooled Again

Jeff Green led the Boston Celtics to victory on Wednesday night, scoring 39 points in extraordinary fashion. On 14-for-26 shooting, with eight three-pointers, Green looked the part of a superstar...

Oops, Green did it again! He played with your heart, got lost in the game.

It seems like Green has these epic performances once in a blue moon and wins fans over each time before he regresses towards the mean one game later.

When that happens, Celtics fans go to bed dreaming with a broken heart. But waking up is the hardest part, knowing that it'll be awhile before Jeff Green teases again with another terrific showing.

So, let's take a few giant steps back before we say that Jeff Green has finally turned the corner into superstar status. He has gone through this same old song and dance before, and fans have to learn to stifle their responses.

Green has scored 20 points or more in only 16.8 percent of his 440 career games. Fans would like him to perform like a Rudy Gay, Paul George, or Danny Granger, but each of them have proven to score at a much more frequent rate.

And if you even think about him being the next Paul Pierce, think again, considering Truth has scored 20 points or more in 57.5 percent of his career games. Sheesh.

This is the way my brain works: I can specifically remember a handful of excellent performances by Jeff Green, but I can't recall too many from Rajon Rondo. From just last season, I can remember Green's huge games against Miami and Cleveland, and then another great one against Atlanta.

But from Rondo, you know, I can't exactly think of one.

That's because All Star type games are a regular thing for a player like Rondo. So, when they happen, it's no surprise. The neurons in my head respond like, "Yawn! Give me something new!" And then they stash the thought away, deep into my memory banks.

On the other hand, when Jeff Green plays like an All Star, it's immediately sent to my hippocampus for long-term memory retrieval. I can easily recall games like the one against Miami -- I'm sure his most recent spectacle against Washington will be retained too.

I understand human behavior and overreact the same way with other happenings in my life; but with sports, I try to be as grounded as possible.

When Jeff Green has big games, it doesn't change my perception of him; he's a very good player who occasionally explodes with sensational performances. So, the next time Green puts on a show, I'll get on my knees and pray...we don't get fooled again!

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