Sixers' Danny Green Details 'Awkward' Start in Philly Due to Past With Raptors
The Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors have a lot of history playing against each other. Over the years, there's been a lot of memories made between the two organizations. Still, no moment has been more memorable than the Kawhi Leonard buzzer-beater game-winning shot during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals during the 2019 NBA Playoffs.
Back then, Sixers veteran Danny Green played on the Raptors as he was a part of the trade that sent DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs, as Toronto landed Leonard. Although Green only spent one season in Toronto, the Sixers veteran admits that the beginning of his 76ers stint was a bit awkward since he was on the team that is now infamous in the City of Brotherly Love.
"For sure [it was awkward]," Green said on Tuesday as the Sixers prepare to face the Raptors for the first time this season. "Here, their last memory of me and us playing Toronto, Game 7 -- they remind me of it every day."
At this point, it's been well over a year since the shot went down. But everybody who was tuned into that series two seasons ago knows just how dramatic and eventual it was. Some fans struggle to get over the devastating final shot. Apparently, some players can't let it go entirely, either.
"Yeah, the Game 7 shot [gets brought up a lot]," Green claimed. "Especially when I first got here -- not as much now. It's a tough one to, I guess, discuss on their end. For me too, because that was my last memory. Obviously, it was some time ago, we played other series after that, but they had a good chance of winning if they win that Game 7 and we kind of took that away from them. It definitely was kind of awkward at first."
While coming to the Sixers was a bit of a strange move for Green initially, the veteran made it clear the team doesn't hold that moment over his head. They might throw jabs at the former Raptors veteran every now and then, but Green makes it clear the team's chemistry is growing this season -- and he's an important part of that.
"We fit right in," Green said. "The chemistry was great, the organization welcomed me warmly, and there's a great group of people here. It's been easy to adapt and adjust." The Sixers are set to face the Raptors for the first time this season on Tuesday night, making it Green's first matchup against Toronto as a member of the 76ers.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
