The Cleveland Cavaliers’ second unit was horrific against Golden State, but Jae Crowder, who has had his fair share of struggles, excelled.
Jae Crowder, who has struggled immensely throughout the beginning of the season, was surprisingly effective against the Warriors. He was one of just four Cleveland Cavaliers to hit double figures.
Crowder went 5-for-10 from the field and ended with 15 points and 6 rebounds. Unlike JR Smith, who shot 0-for-5 and went 0-for-4 from deep, Crowder decided to show up. Without Crowder’s performance, the Cavaliers could have easily been blown out by 15 or more points. He could become more lethal too. With Isaiah Thomas’ returns, the Cavs have that third dynamic offensive force, so Crowder should be able to get even more open looks.
As for his play against Golden State, there are a few reasons that Crowder will be the key to beating the Warriors. For starters, he can guard Kevin Durant. At 6-foot-6 Crowder is giving up some height to Durant, but unlike last season, Jae Crowder can challenge his shot. It’s a new force Cleveland has although it’s virtually impossible to stop him completely.
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The second thing that Crowder has going for him is he has excellent shot selection. When the Warriors-Cavs square off, it doesn’t just boil down to the last few possessions. It’s every possession. That means when JR Smith throws up a 35-foot bomb or when Thompson gets blocked going for a dunk, those possessions count too. The Cavaliers can only allow guys on the court that can contribute every single possession, and Crowder is one of them.
The Cavaliers have three players that are similar to Crowder. They have Iman Shumpert, who has been injured for the majority of the season, Jeff Green, and JR Smith. Shumpert has proven that he can’t be an offensive weapon against Golden State. In the 2017 Finals, Shumpert went just 4-for-17 and struggled mightily on the offensive end.
As for Smith and Green, they both disappeared against Golden State, but should we be surprised? Smith has had one of his worst shooting season’s of his career, and Green just never got going, shooting just 1-for-6 from the field.
Crowder, however, has consistently proven to take smart shots. While he’s not always shot well, especially this season, over 92% of Crowder’s shots are “open” or “wide open.” He knows how to play and his ability to play calmly and differ when needed to is huge in games where every possession could decide the outcome.
In his first game in this intense rivalry, Crowder seemed to be one of the most comfortable Cavaliers on the court. That said, he should see more time moving forward when these two teams potentially meet in June.
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All that to say, Crowder will be the best option, and he will certainly be an upgrade over both JR Smith and Iman Shumpert, defensively and offensively. The Cavs might not be better than the Warriors, but with the return of IT and Crowder finally shooting effectively, they should be able to hold their own, at least at home.