Sports

Spurs’ Green from Long Island sets Finals shooting mark

SAN ANTONIO — Over the course of two years, Danny Green has gone from a player on the verge of leaving the NBA to the record holder for 3-pointers made in an NBA Finals.

Green hit six 3-pointers and finished with 24 points in the Spurs’ 114-104 victory over the Heat in Game 5. He has 25 3-pointers through five games, breaking Ray Allen’s record of 22 from the 2008 NBA Finals, which went six games.

He now has a chance to shatter that record as the series shifts back to Miami for Game 6 tomorrow night as the Spurs seek their fifth NBA title.

“It’s an honor to play on the same floor as some of these guys,” Green said. “I didn’t know I would break a record of [Allen’s]. … It’s amazing. Very surreal.”

After going 4-for-9 on 3-pointers in San Antonio’s Game 1 win, Green has hardly missed since, going an absurd 21-for-29 from behind the arc over the past four games. With a 6-for-10 in Game 5, he’s shooting 65.8 from 3-point range in the series.

“Danny has been playing great,” Tony Parker said. “He’s making shots. I can’t believe he’s still open at this moment of this series. They are still trapping me and doubling Timmy [Duncan], and Danny is wide open.

“He’s shooting the ball well. If you are going to leave Danny wide open, he’s going to make 3s.”

Green, who grew up in North Babylon, was a second-round pick by the Cavaliers in 2009. He was released before the 2010-11 season and even was cut once by the Spurs after being picked up by them that season.

But since coming back from the lockout, Green has become an integral part of the Spurs, starting every game he’s appeared in this regular season and playoffs.

“Well, the whole season has made him more confident,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s been somebody that has gotten a lot of minutes, basically has a green light, and when you do it for 82 games, the only thing left is to see if you do it when the real lights come on come playoffs time. He’s pretty well answered that question.”

In addition to his prolific 3-point shooting, Green has been one of the Spurs’ primary defenders on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, marking his development into one of the elite “3-and-D” wing shooters and defenders in the league.

“He’s been unbelievable,” Duncan said. “Especially on this stage. He’s shooting the ball so well. We’re asking him to defend Dwyane Wade and LeBron and all these guys.“He’s got a lot on his shoulders and he’s stepped up and answered the bell. He’s been unbelievable. I hope he doesn’t wake up and keeps playing this way.”