Robb: Who Steps Up For Celtics During Crowder's Absence?
BOSTON (CBS) -- Brad Stevens has had to get creative with his lineups in the opening week of the regular season, and things are only going to get tougher for the head coach in the wake of Jae Crowder's sprained ankle. The small forward landed on Rajon Rondo's foot during Wednesday's win over the Bulls and immediately hobbled off the court. He did not return in the Celtics' 107-100 victory.
Danny Ainge was not exactly optimistic when discussing the small forward's recovery timetable in his weekly interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich on Thursday morning.
"It is an ankle sprain, so Jae will be here in the facility [today] to get treatment, probably two or three times a day trying to get back as quick as he can," said Ainge. "It's always tough to know how long he'll be out. It was swelling pretty good, so it'll probably, at least, be a week."
With Al Horford already sidelined at least one more game due to concussion symptoms, Stevens is down two key members of his starting lineup on Thursday against the Cavs. Horford may be back in the fold next week if he passes the NBA concussion protocol, but Crowder's injury sounds like it could drag out much longer, a problematic scenario for a Celtics team that's short on reliable wing depth.
How will Brad Stevens handle the looming absence of arguably the team's best two-way player? Let's examine who has a chance to step up in his absence.
The Likely New Starting Small Forward
Marcus Smart – The shooting rust was quite apparent (2-of-8) within Smart's game in his season debut Wednesday, but he physically looked ready to roll, playing 34 minutes off the bench. The 6-foot-4 guard started in the second half in Crowder's place and that's a trend I would expect to continue with Crowder sidelined. Stevens just doesn't have any other options he can trust to guard opposing starting 3s right now outside of Smart. Having him out there will limit the floor spacing for the starters (Smart shot 25 percent from deep last year), but that's a sacrifice that will be worth making for the third-year guard's defensive versatility.
Open Auditions
Jaylen Brown – The rookie's development has been ahead of the curve for most of the Celtics' opening four games and Stevens will need that trend to continue with Crowder out. The problem for Brown right now is that he looks to be struggling in an area (defense) that was supposed to be a strength for him out of the gate. Smarter veterans have burned him on backdoor plays and drawn easy fouls, highlighted by him racking up four fouls against the Bulls in just nine minutes of action. Brown has the physical tools to fill the gap on the wing for 15-20 minutes a night, but he needs to limit his fouling and play sound defense to prove he belongs on the floor. Boston's floor spacing with him and Smart out there together (a pair of questionable shooters) could also be an issue, which may present a chance for more playing time for a more offensive-minded reserve.
Gerald Green – With a pair of capable 3-point shooters in Crowder and Horford out, Stevens is going to need respected perimeter players on the floor to keep defenses honest. Smart and Brown aren't in that category right now, leading us to the veteran swingman Green. The 6-foot-7 forward has struggled with his stroke (1-of-8 from downtown) on the year, but he's got a strong enough track record in his career where opposing defenders can't leave him. If Stevens can put enough capable defenders around him to cover up his defensive deficiencies, Green might be the biggest beneficiary of playing time in Crowder's absence.
The Wildcard
James Young – There's no question that he's at the bottom of the depth chart right now, but this is exactly the kind of scenario the Celtics need the third-year wing for.
He's got the size (6-foot-6) and shooting acumen (in practice anyway) to help Boston's pace and space offense. Additionally, he's got the physical tools and length to be an effective defender. Through his first two seasons, he's never been able to put all of these things together for sustained stretches, but odds are he'll get his shot again with Crowder out. With the team failing to pick up Young's team option for the 2017-18 season, this will be one of his final and best chances to prove he can be a capable contributor, both now and in the future.
Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter @CelticsHub.
