Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Since yanking Crowder out of the starting lineup on Feb. 3, the Celtics are 14-6, and his production has soared. It’s not about his individual stats, though, but what he does for the team. Lately, the dreadlocked, linebacker-looking glue guy has looked like Boston’s Tony Allen, a defense-first, toughness-always, identity-changing force who tends to make a positive difference even on the occasions when he shoots too many jump shots.
[…] Crowder’s ability to guard multiple positions — and switch screens with other versatile defenders, like Marcus Smart, Evan Turner, Brandon Bass and even Jonas Jerebko — allowed Boston to get through a stretch of games when it missed both Sullinger and Olynyk. It also helps the Celtics maintain their defense while going to a quicker, more skilled, space-spreading unit.
Pardon me as I channel Kevin Garnett with a cooking reference…
… some of the greatest dishes around were born out of necessity, not some fancy French cooking school. Someone who was very poor a very long time ago looked at the scraps left from making one meal, threw them in a pot, with some water, a potato, and bam… baby, you got a stew going.
And so it was Brad Stevens, the player-poor coach of a struggling, rebuilding team who looked at the scraps left over after a series of roster changing trades, thew them in a pot with some analytics, a some Swedish and Italian ingredients he had lying around, and bam… baby, they got a bench going.
Call it New England Clam Crowder (ok, I’ll stop now).
First off, let me just say up front that you should go read that entire piece by Jay King. Just wonderful work that shows how Jae Crowder is really the lynch pin to this entire bench. Yes, Isaiah Thomas has been amazing as the penetrating, featured scorer. And yes, Jonas Jerebko and Gigi Datome have taken turns winning our hearts as the “who the F is this guy banging all these open shots and how in the hell did we get him for nothing?” guys. But it’s been Crowder’s ability to defend multiple positions, as Jay notes, from Rodney Stuckey to Zach Randolph, that’s truly been able to hold that bench together.
Part of the Celtics’ bench ability to be so much more productive that the starters is Crowder’s ability to defend and give the Celtics opportunities to run. When a player is as fast as a guard and as strong as a forward, he can switch on pick and rolls. For those who don’t know what that does, it just takes away the ballhandler’s ability to turn the corner and penetrate.
Basically, being able to effectively switch on screens prevents other teams from doing to us what Isaiah Thomas does to them… turn the corner on the pick and roll, force bigs to rotate over to stop him and kick it out to a shooter… or… if the defense is too far out on the shooters, get to the rim and score himself.
You don’t HAVE to be Isaiah Thomas to get into the middle of the paint. Phil Pressey is doing it because the Celtics are trotting out lineups full of floor-spacing shooters that have to be respected. This is why every big man out there is now being coached to shoot from long-range. It’s why, despite Zeller’s big night against Philly, it’s been Kelly Olynyk who has been the more effective center in Celtics lineups.
But if you can stop other teams’ guards from turning corners, then you’re going to force those teams to shoot jumpers. And sometimes, like against a jump shooting team like Golden State, it won’t work. But if you can do it against, say, Oklahoma City, then you’ve got yourself a chance at winning.
Isaiah Thomas is flashier and the big scorer. Jerebko and Datome play the role of “home run hitter,” (and we know, chicks dig the long ball), but more than anyone, it’s Crowder who’s been the anchor of this rag-tag group Stevens has cobbled together. He’s truly been the glue guy who can help keep any pieces on the floor together by doing all the little things those other guys can’t.
Related links: CSNNE: 5 reasons for Celtics’ recent success
Page 2: Isaiah Thomas says his injury hasn’t gotten much better
A day after Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Thomas will likely be sidelined until at least Sunday’s game against the Detroit Pistons, Thomas admitted there’s been little progress in his recovery.
“I can’t really do any activity right now, but I’m just trying to get back,” Thomas said during a call to Boston sports radio WEEI. “[Trying to] get healthy enough so we can have a good stretch at the end of this year.”
Thomas, who suffered bruising after landing hard on his backside during a drive to the basket last Monday in Miami, said the swelling has gotten a “little better.” He noted the team’s success — four straight wins in his absence — has made it easier to stomach being on the sideline.
ESPN Boston: Thomas: “I gotta get healthy”
All that being said about Crowder, the Celtics can only last so long without Thomas, especially against the West where the Celtics will just need more firepower.
I know OKC is hurt without Ibaka and Durant… But they’re still a dangerous team. In fact, they’re more dangerous now because they’re locked in a desperate battle for the 8th seed. This isn’t like a top seed maybe taking a step back and hoping individual play can out-do a scrappy Eastern team barely in the playoff picture. The Thunder need wins. San Antonio, for that matter, does too (despite losing to the freaking Knicks last night) to avoid a date with Memphis in the first round.
You can’t count the Celtics out against anyone the way they’ve been playing, but they need Thomas to really make this run down the stretch. One might argue that these aren’t very winnable games anyway, so there’s no need to rush him back and jeopardize wins they can really get later… especially the head-to-heads coming up against Indy and Miami. But eventually, this magic has to run out without the necessary talent to keep this run going.
Related links: WEEI: Thomas: back feeling better, but I have to do what’s best
And Finally…
James Young is back in Maine. I wouldn’t be surprised if they shuttle him back and forth a bit moving forward. Young isn’t getting many minutes, so he needs to go play and get his work in… but the Celtics aren’t very deep, and one injury, ejection, or simple bout of foul trouble could make him necessary.
So rather be caught with their pants down and Young sitting somewhere during a Red Claws off-day, I’d expect them to bring him back if the schedule allows.
The rest of the links:
Herald: Celtics aim to win West | Globe: Zeller finding his comfort zone | CSNNE: If Celtics make the playoffs, are they one and done? | The best case playoff scenario | ESPN Boston: Surging C’s road to playoffs won’t be easy | Boston.com: What are the C’s actual chances of making the playoffs | WEEI: Irish Coffee: Celtics, playoffs, and tiebreakers, oh my | Bradley, Zellers making believers of themselves, others | NESN: Walter McCarty interested in Holy Cross coaching job
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