A lean, Green machine

Last night, Jeff Green stood up -- and even put a hand up --
to LeBron James.

You want to know what the best part was about Jeff Green's performance last night?

I'll let Doc Rivers tell you.

"You know what I loved about Jeff, I thought the first two minutes of the game, three minutes of the game, he was struggling,” said Rivers. “He missed a free throw, missed a couple of shots. And you know the old Jeff may have gone away. He actually just kept going and kept going.”

And he just didn't stop.

I have to give Green his due, and then some. Green's stat line -- 43 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists and 2 steals in 40 minutes -- was historic. He rose to a level that we all thought he could get to. It's safe to say that last night was Green's coming out party.

Green did everything many Celtics enthusiasts -- most notably myself -- have expected him to do since the moment he was acquired in 2011. He drove to the basket at will, with no regard for who was in front of him. He picked and chose his shots well on the perimeter, and he hit them with tremendous success. He played aggressive defense on the a player who may very well go down as the best player to ever walk on an NBA court. 

He was, in a word, a force. A very assertive force. 

Last night is also another reason why now is the time to insert Green in the starting lineup. Granted, the sample is small, but Green has proven that, with extended minutes, he can play with anyone in the league. In three starts this season, Green has tallied his two-highest scoring totals -- 31 and 43 -- and has looked comfortable playing alongside the other four starters. 

Being in the starting five, Green would not be the focal point of the opponent's defense. Other teams have to worry about Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and even Avery Bradley. Shutting down Green would not be a team's primary focus when playing the Celtics. 

Some, like Celtics' radio color analyst Cedric Maxwell, believe Green should stay on the bench due to the lack of offense that the Celtics when then have off the bench.

I disagree.

It's evident that Green needs time to get into the flow of the game. By starting him, the Celtics will be able to get him involved and get him comfortable early on, that way he's not unexpectedly thrown into the line of fire. Green already plays starter's minutes as it is, and he is usually one of the five players on the floor at the end of close games.

So what is Rivers waiting for?

Green would thrive playing consistent minutes next to two of the best of all time. Not only would he thrive, he would gain confidence. Comcast SportsNet's Gary Tanguay said after last night's game that Green got a lot of support and some inspiring words of wisdom from the locker room before the game and during halftime. The source of such words? Kevin Garnett. Pierce and Garnett would give Green that kick in the rear that Green sometimes needs. 

When I say thrive in the starting quintet, that doesn't mean scoring 43 points against the best team in the league on a nightly basis. But that does mean doing what he did last night -- effort wise -- on a nightly basis. 

Jeff, congratulations, you've arrived. Now comes the hard part.

* Kevin Garnett was on the team's plane to New Orleans earlier today. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said on 98.5 the SportsHub this afternoon that Garnett is not a lock to play tomorrow. Garnett missed last night's game as he was dealing with the flu and a left adductor strain.

* D.J. White and Shavlik Randolph were also on this afternoon's flight. The two are both on their second 10-day contracts, but them being on the flight gives a glimpse into what the Celtics are thinking regarding their futures. White's contract expires tonight at midnight, while Randolph's deal expires a midnight on Wednesday. Doc Rivers has expressed his desire to keep the two on board for the remainder of the season. Players can only sign two 10-day contracts in one season, and at the end of the second one, the team has to either sign the player for the remainder of the season or let him go.