Danny Green Could Be In Line For Unlikely NBA Finals MVP

San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green is poised to become one of the most unlikely NBA Finals MVPs in league history, as he’s put his team within one win of closing out the Miami Heat with lights-out shooting and strong defense.

Green, a role player for the Spurs during the season, has turned it on against the Heat, setting an NBA Finals record with 23 three-pointers. And he’s been on fire doing it, hitting close to 66 percent of his three-point attempts.

On a team where Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker get the most attention, it’s instead been Green and Kawhi Leonard who have taken over, adding offense and shutting down the Heat’s Big Three.

The performance has NBA insiders saying Green could be in line for Finals MVP, though first the Spurs have to win one of two games in Miami.

But Danny Green, who has scored more points than LeBron James in the NBA Finals, isn’t thinking about anything else but Game 6.

“I’m keeping focus on playing basketball,” he said. “I’m not worried about catching any records. I’m worried about helping my team and playing well and helping us win a game. The numbers are things I don’t like to reflect on or look back on. I don’t want to jinx it, but at this point numbers really don’t matter.”

Danny Green would certainly be an unlikely NBA Finals MVP. The honor is traditionally given to one of the top players, and only on a handful of occasions have role players been considered.

In fact, Green would be the first Finals MVP not to make an All-Star game since Cedric Maxwell in 1981.

Of course, to win NBA Finals MVP, Danny Green and the San Antonio Spurs would have to win one of two games in Miami. The Heat have yet to lose back-to-back games in the playoffs, and have followed up every loss with a double-digit win so far.

[Danny Green image via Keith Allison]