Newcomer Jeff Green still feeling his way with the Los Angeles Clippers
Clippers forward Jeff Green tries to get a shot off in between Warriors defenders Brandon Rush (4) and Stephen Curry (30) during the first half.
At some point, Jeff Green will know his exact role with the Clippers.
After playing in only two games since he was acquired by the Clippers last Thursday in a trade that sent Lance Stephenson and a protected first-round draft pick to the Memphis Grizzlies, Green is still trying to figure things out.
“You gotta ask Doc,” he said, referring to Coach Doc Rivers. “Just to go out and make plays, do whatever it takes to help the team win.”
When Rivers was asked how he envisioned utilizing Green, the coach said he would play him at small forward and power forward.
“Being a facilitator offensively at times, giving us length,” Rivers said. “It allows us to play quirky lineups. So, I guess that would be his role.”
Green practiced Friday after arriving from Memphis. He played Saturday against the Golden State Warriors, got in a workout Sunday and participated in a shoot-around Monday morning before scoring 18 points in a 124-84 win over the Phoenix Suns.
“It’s a lot of information to take in, first and foremost,” he said of the adjustment. “Everything is different than where I came from. So, these days are useful no matter whether you’re walking around or not. It’s a lot of information to take in.”
Rivers hopes a few extra practices will help Green get more comfortable.
Though Green played for Rivers in Boston for two-plus seasons, he hasn’t seen any similarities between the philosophies of the Clippers and Celtics.
“Well, he’s the coach,” Green said, laughing. “That’s about it.
“It’s different personnel. It’s a different group of guys so obviously things are going to be different.
“So you just got to roll with it and try to find out what I remember from being under Doc in Boston. But, it’ll take a few more games and it’ll take a little bit more tape and film watching to gather that research.”
Rivers said he told Green, who averaged 12.2 points with the Grizzlies, that “we weren’t exactly the fastest team in Boston. We weren’t flying up and down the floor.”
But Rivers said there were similar “tendencies.”
“The ball movement,” he said. “The spacing part are the same tendencies.”
Etc.
Clippers rookie forward Branden Dawson was assigned to the Erie Bayhawks of the NBA Development League.
Twitter:@BA_Turner
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