NBA Rumors: Jae Crowder Deemed As Celtics Most Important Player This Year

By Jenn Loro - 16 Apr '16 11:51AM

Jae Crowder's position in Boston Celtics has increasingly grown in terms of importance and indispensability. With a look over his stats, it's pretty clear that he is now the backbone of Boston Celtics who could throw a shot at any position and who could defend the team from LeBron James' ensuing attacks.

By all accounts, pundits think he should be named as Celtics' Most Important Player. But his journey to the NBA was filled with potholes and was oftentimes stuck in situations that would make his NBA dream unlikely.

After reaching the league, he still lacked big roles (as Mavericks rookie) to establish himself until a fateful trade to Celtics which shot him up to greater heights. There was a desperate need for a wing like him: versatile, big, and hungry for challenge. As a result he climbed his way as a two-way threat and increasingly made himself known with his improved Eastern Conference standings.

"It's not a surprise to him. It may be a surprise to everybody else. But I know Jae. I've seen Jae grow. He's going to continually get better. He's not complacent. He doesn't settle. Never tell that kid that he can't do something, because I'll bet my contract on it he'll prove you wrong," remarked Chicago All-Star Jimmy Butler (Crowder's Marquette teammate for one year) as quoted by Mass Live.

Before Crowder's arrival, Celtics' defense was in disarray lacking strength and cohesion. When appeared on the scene, things are starting turn a little better as the team races its way to the playoffs.

"Two months previous, we were on a hell of a run to even make the playoffs," Crowder said as quoted by USA Today. "Once we saw we made the playoffs and how we made it, we wanted to move forward and build off that."

Right now, Crowder's status becomes so indispensable that Celtics PR staff just made him their poster boy for ultimate defensive play.

So far, Crowder has contributed a great value for Celtics this season with his performance statistics as reported by CSNNE: points per game (14.5), rebounds per game (5.2), assists per game (1.9), steals per game (1.8), minutes per game (31.9), field goal percentage (44.5%), three-point field goal percentage (34.1), free throw percentage (82.4%).