LOS ANGELES – When he thinks about the things that have come his way in the past two-plus seasons, guard Josh Green
acknowledged that he is indebted to Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.
“Coach Kidd’s been amazing for me,” Green said. “I wouldn’t be here today without him. He was able to give me my opportunity here in Dallas.
“It was almost like the first time he gave me the opportunity he was like, ‘Shoot it!’ I was like, ‘Wait. Really?’ “
Having the green light from Kidd to shoot the basketball, Green pounced on it and his game took off to the point where the Mavs eventually signed him to a three-year, $41 million extension prior to this season. The contract was a credit to what Green had already established with the Mavs and what they anticipate him accomplishing in the future.
In this past Wednesday’s 104-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, Green scored a season-high 15 points in 22 minutes on 6-of-10 shots. He also was 3-of-6 from behind the three-point line.
“Josh was great for us (Wednesday) on the offensive end,” Kidd said. “He made some open shots.”
It was the sixth double-digit scoring game of the season for Green — he was the 18th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Arizona – and it didn’t go unnoticed by point guard Luka Doncic.
“He was very energetic,” Doncic said. “(He was) hitting key shots and he was a big lift for us.”
The Mavs (10-5) hope Doncic can give them another big lift when they face the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena.
Prior to the game against the Lakers, Green scored 11 points and distributed a season-high five assists this past Sunday against the Sacramento Kings. Overall, the 23-year old is averaging 7.3 points in 25.5 minutes while shooting 43 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from three-point territory.
“I think I’m just letting (the game) come to me,” Green said. “When you look at our team, we have a very deep team. I think it’s selfish if I go out of my way and force shots or do things to get me in my rhythm.
“It’s a long season and I don’t really care what people have to say. We’ve had a great start to the season. I just want to make sure that I’m doing it the right way and finding my rhythm.”
Green noted that the Mavs also found their rhythm on the defensive end of the floor against the Lakers. The 101 points the Lakers scored are the fewest the Mavs have allowed in a game this season, and snaps a streak where the Mavs allowed 117 or more points in seven straight games, including 124 or more points in six of those games.
The Mavs particularly put a net around Laker center Amthony Davis, who was held to just 10 points. That came on the heels of the Mavs losing at home to Sacramento, 129-113.
“After the Kings’ game, the coaches got into us,” Green said. “We weren’t following the game plan. It’s the player’s fault and we really needed to key in on it.
“And I think (defending) Davis — obviously with the heads-up on double-team — that helped us out a lot. But there also were a lot of other things that the players really focused in on (Wednesday) and I think it was a good defensive game.”
With that, Green again paid homage to Kidd.
“He’s really good for our young guys,” Green said. “I’m still young myself, but I’m excited to see the development of (Olivier-Maxence Prosper) and (Dereck Lively II).
“He’s a really good coach, but he also cares as a person. He’s really helped me on the court and also off the court.”
X: @DwainPrice
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