Jeff Green Thinks He Was ‘Overshadowed’ By Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook

Jeff Green, soon-to-be a restricted free agent, wants to remain in Boston Green. He tells the Herald that in OKC, he couldn’t really show the basketball world all that he can do because of the team’s two stars — exactly how he expects to correct this grave injustice in Beantown, remains a mystery: “When you look at the numbers, Green had decent production after coming over from Oklahoma City in the Kendrick Perkins trade. But when it was suggested his performance may not have lived up to his own standard, he interjected a hearty, ‘Hell, no.’ There is more to Jeff Green than met the eyes of Celtics fans in the last few months of the 2010-11 season. ‘Yeah, man, you know a lot of people don’t know what I can really do,’ he said. ‘In Oklahoma, I was kind of overshadowed by Kevin (Durant) and the way Russell (Westbrook) picked up, but, excuse my language, I can really (expletive) play. I can really play this game, man.’ That belief was supported by discussions he had following the season. ‘I had some good meetings with (coach) Doc (Rivers) before the lockout, and I’ve been talking to P (Paul Pierce [stats]) and Ray (Allen),’ Green said. ‘Next year they’re really going to allow me to play, and I think that’s what I need. I need to go out there and just play. Sometimes I think too much, but I just need to go out there and play the game. I’ve got great confidence in myself, but things were a little difficult last year.’ There were times when Green played free and loose, but too often he appeared tentative with the ball. And sometimes when he realized how crazy that was, he’d wind up forcing the action. Looking back, the move to Boston and the weeks that followed were a spin cycle. ‘It was quick,’ Green said. ‘It was a quick turnaround from Point A to Point B. It was tough because I was going through a lot. The trade set me back a little bit because I had to get used to another role. I had to learn the plays and the defensive schemes. There was just so much in a short period of time. Hopefully we can get the lockout over, and I can come back here and go through a training camp where I can get comfortable in the role that I have.’”