Jamal Crawford is the fifth man
No, that’s not a typo.
Despite being one of the best sixth men in NBA history, Crawford is the fifth man for the Clippers.
One glaring issue for the Clippers over the years is that they haven’t had a great solution to who the fifth man to play with Paul, Redick, Griffin, and Jordan. Crawford might not be the perfect player to be the last player in the closing lineup for the Clippers, but he’s the best option for this team.
Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson, and Josh Smith were signed with hopes of being able to play with their four-man unit and all have failed. Wesley Johnson has been inconsistent in that role despite playing fairly well. Jeff Green is far too inconsistent.
Crawford may not have the ideal size and skill set, but he’s not afraid of the big moment and cannot be ignored by defenses. When a play breaks down and their isn’t enough time on the shot clock to run a play, Crawford is one of the best in the league at creating his own shot with only one or two dribbles.
Crawford banked in a crucial shot over Kevin Durant to put the Clippers up by four with 38 seconds remaining. The shot was a difficult one to make over a player with at least five inches on him, not including Durant’s Go-Go-Gadget arms, but it’s the type of shot Crawford has made throughout his 16-year NBA career.
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With rosters pretty much set for the playoffs, Crawford is the best option for the Clippers to close games out with.