(670 The Score) On a Bulls team with two of the NBA’s top six leading scorers and another player who was an All-Star a year ago, the individual who often produces the first holy-cow highlight of the game is a lower-profile figure.
That would be Javonte Green, the 28-year-old third-year forward and surprise starter whose irrepressible energy has jolted the Bulls all season long as they’ve started 22-10 and sit in second place in the Eastern Conference.
“He’s a nice shot in the arm for that (starting) group,” acting head coach Chris Fleming said. “We have a lot of calm guys who play at their own pace, and Javonte kind of brings us up.”
Green was up to his usual shenanigans again Wednesday, scoring a season-high 14 points and flying around on defense as the Bulls cruised to a 131-117 win against the extremely shorthanded Hawks at the United Center. He shot 4-of-5 from the field, staying within himself by doing all of his damage at the rim. Green had two dunks and two layups while also going 6-of-8 from the free-throw line as he attacked the rim with ferocity. He also had two steals and a block.
At times, Green’s play can be described as borderline absurd. It’s only a slight exaggeration to say he tries to dunk the ball every time he gets it. In the half-court setting when he isn’t spotting up in the corner for a 3-point look, the 6-foot-4 Green is a hellacious cutter who times his steps out and lurks until the ideal space opens for him to dart through. He does so with the intention of receiving a pass and rocking the rim, which he sometimes does. When the ball doesn’t find him, he has at least helped contort the defense.
On the other end, Green is often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player and is a catalyst for a Bulls defense that uses its ability to force turnovers to get out into transition, where it’s among the league’s best.
“I just want to do everything that DeMar (DeRozan) and Zach (LaVine) and Vooch (Nikola Vucevic) don’t necessarily have to do – guard the best player, just do all the little things, just bring them energy,” Green said. “Because you know, they’re going to score the ball regardless. I just want to take more pressure off them and do the little things.”
Undrafted in 2015, Green spent several years playing overseas before sticking with the Celtics in 2019. Chicago acquired him from Boston in a trade last March.
Green earned a spot in the Bulls’ rotation with a strong training camp and preseason, then moved into the starting power forward role when Patrick Williams was sidelined by a serious wrist injury in the fifth game of the season. What Green lacks in height for the position he makes up for with supreme athleticism.
“He brings a level of tenacity, especially on the defensive end,” guard Coby White said. “But I feel like he doesn’t get enough credit on the offensive end. Everybody knows what he does defensively, and he shuts guys down. He gets into them. He does what he needs. But offensively, he opens up so much by crashing the glass, being able to hit the three and also putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket. And especially his off-ball movement opens up a lot for us in the pressure he puts on the rim.”
Just as his teammates are appreciative of what he brings the Bulls, Green has been appreciative of his much bigger role.
“I just feel like it’s a great experience playing alongside three All-Stars,” said Green, who entered Wednesday averaging 5.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 22.0 minutes. “And then all the other guys, this is a great group of guys we got here. I just feel like the experience here is different because everybody just wants to win just as bad as I do. My role is different than everybody else’s. I just feel like my hunger is like feeding off on them. They wanted to win as much as me.
“I just feel like my mentality is ‘do whatever you got to do to just get on the floor.’ That’s been my mentality since I’ve been in the NBA.”
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.