Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Gerald Green is coming off a spotty first season with the Indiana Pacers and its unlikely he’ll be back with the team next season. That’s based on his declining performance for the Pacers since coming from the Brooklyn Nets during the 2012 NBA offeason.
Green just didn’t deliver for the Pacers the way that had been anticipated. A year ago in 31 games with the Nets, he averaged 25.2 minutes, 12.9 points and 3.5 rebounds a game while shooting 48.1 percent from the floor, 39.1 percent from three and 75.4 percent from the free-throw line. This season, he saw action in 60 games for an average of 18.9 minutes, 7.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.88 assists per game while shooting 36.6 percent from the floor and 31.4 percent in threes.
Green showed signs of excellent play during the regular season. He was so-so during the playoffs with 6.1 points and 1.3 rebounds a game. He was given valuable minutes at the time. But he wasn’t able to produce when the Pacers needed him most. He had a poor series against the Miami Heat. In the first round against the Atlanta Hawks, Green saw action in five games and averaged 14.4 minutes, 7.8 points and 1.2 rebounds a game while shooting 14.4 percent from the floor and 39.1 from the charity stripe.
Then his appearances declined in the conference semifinals, as he averaged 9.5 minutes. 6.0 points and 2.0 rebounds a game while shooting 50 percent from the floor. But against Miami, Green was in two games at 7.0 minutes, 2.0 points and 2.90 rebound a game. He was never a factor after the first series.
His postseason performance has Green wondering if he’ll be with the Pacers next season.
