Is Josh Green making the leap in Dallas?

Green is making the most of his opportunities with the Mavs this season.

Josh Green is showing signs of being the role player Dallas needs.

The young Australian, currently in his third NBA season, anecdotally feels much improved, and the growth is showing up in subtle ways. The surest way to evidence Green’s role at present is by looking at his shot chart (accurate as of 24 November).  

At the time of writing, 58% (32 of 55) of Green’s field goal attempts have been from three. This figure is almost double that from last season (30%). Green has taken all bar eight shots this season from either the corners or at the rim. This is a shot chart right out of the analytical playbook for modern basketball. It is also the shot profile of a prototypical role player around NBA offensive mavens such as Luka Doncic.

Dallas Mavericks @dallasmavs

JG 👀 8-8 FG 6-6 3FG More basketball to be played 🙌

After watching every minute of Green’s play this season, I am confident in stating he hasn’t made a quantum leap. Yes, he is shooting the ball at an insane clip, but those figures are bound to normalise as the season goes along. His raw rebounds and assist percentages are down over prior years, yet his impact is growing.