Deploy the Green Ranger: Danny Green deserves Cavs playoff minutes

A key part of the NBA playoffs is experience. Having a team that is well equipped to handle the bright lights and that has been in tough positions is vital. Unfortunately, that is something this talented Cleveland Cavaliers squad lacks.

While they do have Donovan Mitchell, who is known for elevating his game to superhero status in the playoffs, the only other players in the rotation with playoff experience are Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, and Ricky Rubio. Key players like Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Isaac Okoro have yet to play in a playoff game. Do not get it twisted, this team is built for the playoffs, but having veterans who have been there before will aid them greatly.

However, there is a veteran that has been sitting on the Cavs bench for the better part of two months that head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has yet to deploy in a serious role. He’s an NBA champion and has 165 games worth of postseason experience. It’s time for the Cavs to deploy the Green Ranger: Danny Green.

Danny Green is deserving of Cavs playoff minutes.

When the Cavs plucked Green off of the buyout market in February, it looked like the key move they needed to make in order to fill their hole at the wing spot. It was a move geared for a potential deep postseason run. While he was working his way back from a torn ACL he suffered last year, the Cavs still felt that he could add a veteran’s presence to a roster full of young talent. But, Green’s second stint with the Cavaliers has not gone according to plan, at least yet.

He has played eight games since signing with the team, and the first six were essentially garbage time minutes. Despite this, the Cavs had a plan to ramp up Green for a few games in late March, to see if he can contribute to their playoff rotation, but he was placed in health and safety protocols. Fortunately, with the Cavs clinching the No. 4 seed last Tuesday against the Orlando Magic, it allowed them to rest their key players for their last two regular season games. This gave Green some much needed opportunity and he did not disappoint.

In those two games, Green went a combined 8-of-19 from three-point range, including a 5-of-9 performance against the Magic. In his eight games with Cleveland this season, Green has shot 45% from three and while that is a very limited sample size, it is great to see that he still has his shooting touch. Having a reliable shooter in the playoffs is vital to success, and with Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley garnering a lot of attention on offense, this will leave Green open to do what he does best: knock down threes.

The Cavaliers playoff rotation is in flux right now. The top six is set: Garland, Mitchell, Okoro, Mobley, Allen and LeVert. Guys like Rubio, Cedi Osman, Dean Wade, and Lamar Stevens will mix in, as they all offer different things. There is uncertainty though surrounding Okoro and his achy knee. Will he be 100% when the Cavs begin their playoff run against the New York Knicks on Saturday? That is very much up in the air it seems. That is what makes Green that much more important.

I get that he is old (35). I get that he is coming off of a major injury. However, he can still offer a lot to the Cavs as they try to reach their championship aspirations.

They do not have anyone on the roster with 165 games worth of playoff experience. They do not have anyone that has shot 39% from three in his playoff career. They do not have someone with three championship rings, and has played with some of the best in the NBA. Danny Green knows what it takes to win a championship.

His experience and shooting will be vital for a Cavaliers bench that needs to step it up this postseason. There is no question about that.

The only question that remains about Green is this: will his number get called? Or will he ride the bench in the most important stretch of the Cavs season?