CHICAGO (670 The Score) – The full Javonte Green experience was on display Friday at the United Center.
In his first game since signing another standard contract with the Bulls – a transactional move that will allow him to be playoff-eligible – Green came off the bench to post career-high marks of 25 points and 13 rebounds to help lead Chicago to a 108-100 win against the visiting New York Knicks at the United Center.
“His energy was terrific,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “It obviously changed the game in a lot of ways for us.”
The performance also represented Green’s first career double-double, and it came on a night full of adventure for him. Late in the first quarter, Green was kicked in the face by Knicks forward Josh Hart after Green stripped Hart of the ball on a drive. Upon video review, officials ejected Hart for a flagrant-2 foul, having deemed his high-flying foot act to be both unnecessary and excessive, the two criteria for such a foul.
Then with just more than four minutes left in the second quarter, Green threw down a thunderous double-clutch reverse dunk that sent the Bulls bench into a tizzy of celebration. Reserve center Andre Drummond was assessed a technical foul from the bench, as he was apparently deemed to have stepped onto the playing court, though it probably could’ve been called on any number of players over there.
Bulls star DeMar DeRozan (20 points, 10 assists) joked that Drummond was singled out for the technical foul because he was the “biggest one.”
“Plays like that ignite and keep us all locked in,” DeRozan said of Green’s dunk.
“It was a great feeling,” Green said with a smile. “I’m not going to help Andre pay the fine. You know, Andre’s a pro. I feel like that’s my game, just bringing (energy) into the game and just playing as hard as I can.”
Green shot 10-of-14 from the field in just shy of 33 minutes as he filled a bigger role when guard Coby White suffered a left ankle injury. Green started the second half in White’s place. White was icing his ankle in a bucket postgame and replied “OK” when asked how it felt.
Of Green’s 10 baskets, one was a 3-pointer and the other nine were in the restricted area at the rim. He found repeated success with well-timed cuts.
“Cutting is a really, it’s a high-level skill that’s really, really hard to teach,” Donovan said. “Because of a lot of it is instinctive. A lot of it is seeing a gap. Because sometimes you can just start running and cutting into people and killing spacing or killing a drive. He’s got a really good feel and awareness of when and where to go.”
Green was previously a regular member of the Bulls’ rotation from 2021-’23, but he went unsigned by an NBA team this past offseason as he rehabbed from knee surgery. He instead landed with the Santa Cruz Warriors, the G League affiliate of Golden State. The Bulls signed him to a 10-day contract on March 23, then waived forward Terry Taylor on Thursday to open up a full-time roster spot for Green. Friday marked Green’s fourth game of the season with the Bulls.
Needless to say, Green has felt the love from his teammates in his return.
“Everybody knows what I can do here in this locker room,” Green said. “It’s not like a surprise. I just go out there and do what I can do. I feel the love. To get embraced these guys in here is a blessing.”
Cody Westerlund is an editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund .
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