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Boston Celtics: Jae Crowder Needs To Step Up

By Eric Laboissonniere

Apr 19, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder (99) reacts after Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0, right) scores a basket in the third quarter of game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 89-72. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 19, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder (99) reacts after Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0, right) scores a basket in the third quarter of game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 89-72. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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After two underwhelming playoff games, Jae Crowder needs to step up his game for the Boston Celtics or the team could get swept.

It is not time to totally freak out over the Boston Celtics‘ chances to win their first round series against the Atlanta Hawks. Boston has not played well in the first two games on the offensive end (34.2 percent from the field as a team over the past two games). One player on the team has been playing poorly on the offensive end since he came back from injury, and that player is Jae Crowder.

Crowder returned from injury on Mar. 31, but since then he has been shooting poorly from the field. He’s shot 37.6 percent from the field and 23.6 percent from three-point range since he came back from his injury, and he just has not looked right. Crowder is not 100 percent, and he knows that, but he still needs to find his shot if the Celtics want to win this series.

Crowder averaged 14.2 points per game during the season on 44.3 percent shooting, but he has shot horribly at the end of the season and in the playoffs since his injury. In two playoff games games, Crowder is averaging 8.0 points per game and has shot 24 percent from the field and 18.2 percent from deep, which is unacceptable. Most of the shots he is taking are open jump shots, but he just can’t make jumpers so far this postseason.

Now, Crowder has still looked pretty good on defense against the Hawks, which is great news, but since Avery Bradley is probably out for the rest of the series, Crowder needs to step up and become a reliable scoring option.

Crowder Can Push The Celtics Past The Hawks

Crowder is arguably the most valuable player on the Celtics, and he has not played well on the offensive end so far against the Hawks, but there still is time for him to step up. Crowder is going to get the opportunity to succeed because the Celtics need him on the floor for a majority of the game due to his versatility on defense. Crowder needs to remain confident in his offensive game because he is getting good looks on that end of the floor, the shot just aren’t falling.

The good news is that Crowder cannot shoot much worse that he has been over the past two games, and now the Celtics are heading home for Game 3, which is hopefully where Crowder will find his offensive game. If Crowder can find his shot on the offensive end and start making some three-point shots, the Celtics should be in every game and should be in a good position to win those games.

Overall

The Celtics have been in both of their first two playoff games because of defense, and now the offense, particularly of Jae Crowder, needs to step up. The Celtics need to be confident in their offensive games and stop settling for jump shots, especially if they are not falling.

Crowder has not been great in this series on that end of the floor, but he is going to continue to fight through his nagging ankle injury and try to shoot his way out of this slump. In their next game, the Celtics should open up with a play to get Crowder going on offense, and if he can make the opening shot or his first shot, that would be great news for Crowder and the rest of the team.

More hoops habit: 2016 NBA Playoffs: The Deciding Factor In Each First Round Series

Game 3 is Friday night in Boston, and this is 100 percent a must-win game for the Celtics. Crowder needs to step up on the offensive end if Boston wants to get back in this series.

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