Word Association: I say Jeff Green, You Say Scottie Pippen?

Ok, now that I've lost all credibility, let me see what I can do to restore it.

In my mind's eye, Scottie Pippen  played Tonto to Michael Jordan's Lone Ranger. I remember the early years where a series of untimely migraines prevented Senior Scottie from taking the floor during important stretches of big games. That likely skewed the lens through which I later evaluated #33 because, oh my, the man compiled quite the career.

A member of the original dream team and voted one of the 50 greatest players in the history of the NBA (which is probably all anyone needs to know), Pippen was named first-team All Defense an amazing  8 times. Perhaps more amazing is the fact that in seventeen seasons, his teams made the playoffs sixteen times, winning six rings. I'm sure there is more I could say, but, hell, this is a Celtics' blog, so let's get to the part where I lose all sense of proportion and make a ridiculous comparison.

One of Pippen's better seasons was the 1996-97 season when he averaged 20 points and 6.5 rebounds, while shooting 70% from the stripe, 47% from the field, and 37% from three. Jeff Green's best season was 2008-09, when he averaged 16.5 points per game, 6.7 rebounds, while shooting .788 from the stripe, 45% from the field, and 39% from three. Wait. Those numbers aren't horribly dissimilar. We're not talking Larry Bird v. Fred Roberts. Are we?

Ok, you got me. Pippen averaged 5.7 dimes, while Green averaged a mere 2. Pippen's two steals per game also doubled Green's per game output. And, it might be added, Pippen produced his numbers as the second best player on one the greatest teams in basketball history. Jeff Green? Well, let's just say history won't remember much about the 2008-09 OKC Thunder.

In any event, the overall, career comparison may in fact be a ridiculous one. But comparing individual seasons leaves less distance between the two. In one final attempt to restore credibility, I urge you to check out who Green is compared to at the 2:28 marker of the above video.

It is a player even more accomplished than Scottie Pippen.