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UNC Basketball: Former Tar Heel Danny Green resurgent in Raptors win

By Blake Cockrum

TORONTO, ON - MAY 07: Danny Green #14 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after sinking a 3 pointer during Game Five of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena on May 7, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 07: Danny Green #14 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after sinking a 3 pointer during Game Five of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena on May 7, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Former UNC basketball star and Toronto Raptors shooting guard Danny Green broke out of his slump in Game 1 of the NBA Finals

To say that Toronto Raptors shooting guard Danny Green struggled throughout the Eastern Conference Finals would be an understatement.

The former North Carolina standout and 10-year NBA veteran averaged better than 10 points, four rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for Toronto this season, and he knocked down better than 45 percent of his three-point attempts.

He had his worst six-game stretch of the season against the Milwaukee Bucks, though, scoring just 3.5 points per game on 17.4 percent shooting. The three-point marksman connected on just four of his 23 shots from beyond the arc, and saw a decline in his rebounds (3.3), assists (0.8), blocks (0.5) and consequently, minutes played.

Apparently, Green — and his head coach, Nick Nurse — was able to put that rough stretch behind him, as he put on one heck of a performance against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Green logged 30 minutes against the Warriors on Thursday night, scoring 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting and 3-of-7 from three-point range. He also recorded two rebounds, two blocks, an assists and a steal without a single turnover. Perhaps, more importantly, though, was the defense he played against some of Golden State’s best scorers.

Along with Raptors reserve guard Fred VanVleet, Green and the Raptors locked down Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the perimeter, making it tough for the two to find shots, and make them. Despite Curry scoring 34 points for the game, he hit just 8-of-18 shots on the night, and 4-of-9 from downtown. Thompson, who averages nearly eight three-point attempts per game, got open for just six long-range shots, making three.

With a 1-0 advantage over the Warriors, the Raptors will ask Green to duplicate his Game 1 performance on Sunday night when Toronto looks to take a two-game lead in the NBA Finals.

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Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on Danny Green, as well as UNC alumni throughout the NBA and around the globe.

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