Danny Green Says He Received Death Threats Following Missed Three-Pointer In Game 5 Of NBA Finals
Danny Green has stayed away from social media following his missed three-pointer in the final moments of the Lakers' 111-108 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Friday.
But his fiancée, Blair Bashen, told him that they've received a lot of cyberbullying and even some death threats.
"I had to ask, 'Are you getting death threats?'" Green said in a videoconference Sunday. "And she said, 'Yeah, you are too,' and I was like, I don’t know, because I don’t really pay attention or care. Nor am I upset, shaken or worried about it. I’m just not one of those types of people. I probably should be a little more paranoid or safe about things."
Green said he's not letting it bother him.
But added that he wishes those people would use their voice for another cause.
"It’s a basketball game," Green said. "People are emotional, fans are emotional. I hope they don’t take it that seriously. I hope they are that passionate about voting or getting justice for these people who deserve justice or get some better change along in the country. But it’s a basketball game at the end of the day. And I know that they’re just taking out their emotions and they need somebody to blame and it came down to that last play and, of course, I’m the easy target."
With the Lakers down 109-108 and 16.8 seconds left, LeBron James penetrated to the basket as all five defenders collapsed around him. He then passed the ball to a wide open Green.
Green, who didn't have anyone within eight feet of him, took one dribble before shooting a three-pointer that clanked off of the front of the rim.
Green acknowledged that he wished he had read the situation better.
"I had more time than I realized," Green said. "I should've taken more time. I probably rushed it a little bit. I was a little off balance. But we got a good look, we got a second opportunity. If I could get that play back again, I'd give anything to get that shot back. Trust me."
Green, a two-time NBA champion who has averaged 40 percent from beyond the arc over his 11-season career, said making and missing big shots is part of the game.
"My confidence is not shaken at all," he said. "I'm not worried. I have a lot of confidence in our group and in myself."
The Lakers, who have a 3-2 series lead, play Game 6 on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. PST. They're one win away from their 17th championship, which would tie them with the Boston Celtics for the most titles in NBA history.
Green said winning their next game is what's important. Not the negative things that are being said about him online.
"It didn’t faze me," he said. "Didn’t care. Just ignore it. Those people’s opinions don’t matter to me. The only people in that locker room and on this roster are the opinions that are relevant and that matter to me. And if they’re still confident in me and still encouraged and still believe in me and believe in us, that’s all that matters to me: That we can get this thing done. All the rest is background noise and nobody cares about it when it’s all said and done. All they care about is who wins at the end of the day, the end of the season, who is the last team standing. And if we can get that job done, all the other irrelevant, negative noise doesn’t matter."
