Jae Crowder’s first-round performance had its highs and lows.
There is no questioning the impact he had on Utah’s second unit during the regular season. Crowder averaged nearly 10 points per game during the regular season, however, outside of a 27 point outburst in Game 5, he averaged just 5.8 points in every other game this series.
One could also argue that Game 5 was not even his best game. After knocking down a string of early threes, Crowder seemed to believe that he was Kobe, finishing the night with 14 attempts from downtown.
Yes, a 32 percent three-point shooter took FOURTEEN attempts.
It wasn’t all bad for Crowder though. In such a tough series, his physicality was a huge factor for the Jazz. His toughness and experience on both ends of the floor were key components that helped the Jazz advance and should continue to benefit them against Houston.
If Utah has any shot of knocking off the West’s top seed, their bench will need to step it up. That starts with Crowder.