Apr 28, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics shooting guard Jordan Crawford (27) dribbles the ball against New York Knicks during game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Dear Jordan,

As you know, we haven’t spent a complete season together on the Celtics’ side of things. But from my time spent with the Washington Wizards, I know you too well. When you were traded to Boston, honestly, it felt like a nightmare.

People told me that you were going to perform well, and I genuinely hoped that you would. I thought that Doc Rivers was going to be the punch in the chest that you needed to stay on a straight line.

Of course, you’ve never had character issues before. You are just a competitor and you want to play every chance you get. You didn’t take losing your starting position to Nick Young to last season. Once John Wall returned to the Wizards, you lost your starting status again.

You didn’t take it well, and Randy Wittman had enough. You were put in his doghouse and subsequently traded to the Celtics for a guy who wouldn’t crack the rotation and one that tore his ACL.

That showed the world what the Wizards thought about you. I thought that you would come to Boston with a chip on your shoulder and be prepared to take another step into becoming that great player that you want to be. Unfortunately, this season we did not see that from you.

You have a PER of only 12.0 with the Celtics–which is terrible. You shot 42% from the floor and 32% from three while only scoring 9.1 points per contest. You, unfortunately, held up to your reputation as a player who doesn’t contribute much more than volume shots and no efficiency.

Well, maybe not. Some people are going to think of you as a trouble maker now because of the incident that you had with Carmelo Anthony in these playoffs. However, Jordan, I know how you are. I know from experience that you are a good person at heart and you only want to win.

I know that the STEEZ label that you carry on your back is what you identify to, and I appreciate that. “Who else gone shoot” was one of my favorite things from this season, honestly. I still believe that you have a lot to contribute to the Celtics and I think they may think so too.

You have to work on your decision making on the floor as a scorer and work on taking better shots. You can be a force in this league in whatever role you play–don’t get discouraged because you are coming off of the bench.

And finally, Jordan, just remember these words: “Who else gone shoot?”

Mar 23, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Boston Celtics power forward Jeff Green (8) sets the play during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum. Memphis Grizzlies defeat the Boston Celtics 110-106. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

In the fourth quarter of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Doc Rivers went with a lineup that was supposed to be a signal of surrender, but the players who were in for the Boston Celtics played with a lot of heart. Jordan Crawford, Terrence Williams, Jeff Green, DJ White, and Shavlik Randolph cut the Grizzlies lead to four with a minute remaining after being down by as many as 21 points. Usually, a lineup consisting of players who are deep in Boston’s rotation don’t get many minutes in games that matter, but Doc Rivers may want to reconsider that game plan.

From day one, Terrence Williams and Jordan Crawford had great on court chemistry that made them a potent threat in the backcourt. Both players would find each other in the most unlikely spots and made some threading-the-needle type passes to get the ball to the receiver. Crawford had 21 points in Memphis, displaying his talent, and should definitely give Doc Rivers confidence in his ability to score at will and give him more playing time down the stretch. He singlehandedly lead the Celtics back within striking distance, and if it wasn’t for a few mistakes in the final minute of the game by the team, it’s possible that the outcome would have been different. Williams had 9 points on 4 of 4 shooting. He made clutch baskets down the stretch and was active on the defensive end. Hopefully Doc will give them more looks at playing time together in the final games of the regular season.

DJ White and Shavlik Randolph left their marks on Saturday’s game by being active on the offensive and defensive glass. They played like they were fighting for their NBA careers, and after their performances they’ll definitely see another day in the league. The Celtics have had trouble rebounding all season, and to at least minimize the rebounding deficit, Doc should consider playing them more. He might have to by default now that Kevin Garnett is out for at least four to five games with a foot injury. After Saturday, I want to see both Randolph and White in games and given significant playing time. I know some fans have brought up that if the Celtics are going to rely on players who just came over to the NBA from China, Boston could be in trouble. I disagree, and we’ll never know how good these players are unless Doc plays them. Currently, the Celtics are on a four game losing streak, so I highly doubt they could do worse in games

Jeff Green is Jeff Green. With the ball being in his hands more with this lineup he can do what he does best, which is to drive to the hoop aggressively and finish with the layup or posterizing dunk. Doc doesn’t run any plays for Green throughout games, but maybe with a lineup that makes him the go-to-guy, he could be more effective, putting up 20 to 25 points a night. With Boston struggling, they need to find a solution. Giving Green the opportunity to run the team on offense would benefit him and the team, not only now, but in the future. The fact that Doc left him in the game, even though at the time it was out of reach, speaks volumes. He needs to become a leader, and if no one on the team is going to step up in the absence of Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett (temporarily), and Paul Pierce (when he’s not on the floor) Boston will need to look to someone else.

The lineup Doc went with on Saturday in the fourth quarter was filled with hungry players who want to win and want their contracts extended. In a game like tonight against the New York Knicks, unleashing this group of hungry players could lead to some aggressive play on both ends of the court and maybe help Boston secure a victory. Right now, nothing is working for the Celtics. Mixing things up and putting in players who want to prove something could have a very positive outcome for this team as they fight to steal a higher seed for the playoffs.

Mar 8, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics players cheer during the first half of a game against the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Since Rajon Rondo’s season ended, the Boston Celtics bench has stepped their game and are one of the reasons why they’re contending for a higher seed in the Eastern Conference. At this point, it’s become cliché to say that this playoff run all started when Boston’s star point guard went down with a season ending ACL tear, but no matter what side of the spectrum you’re on the results don’t lie, Boston is winning games. How is this all possible? Well, let’s take a deeper look into this current playoff run by the Celtics, and how the bench has been a major contributor to Boston’s success since January.

It all starts with the “we not me” philosophy. The entire team has bought into playing as one, and they know what is required and expected of them. Everyone knows their role, and when their number is called they immediately have an impact on the game. Players like Jordan Crawford, Terrence Williams, DJ White, and even Shavlik Randolph have stepped up in the time they’ve played and have become important pieces off the bench for Boston. These are the same players who have struggled to find a permanent home in the NBA, but somehow they’ve  produced numbers that no Celtics fan could have expected them to contribute, considering they joined the team halfway through the season.

• Jordan Crawford – 7.0 ppg 2.5 rebounds 1.4 assists in 11 games played
• Shavlik Randolph – 3.3 ppg 4.3 rebounds in 3 games played
• DJ White- 2.8 ppg 1.5 rebounds in 4 games played
• Terrence Williams – 2.6 ppg 1.2 assists in 10 games played

Now these numbers aren’t impressive, and certainly not something that ESPN would give an honorable mention to, but these players are producing numbers for the Boston Celtics. Both Randolph and White have had to play, and not in garbage time when they game is over. These guys have been put into games during the second and third quarters. Doc Rivers confidence in these players have had an effect on their own individual games and they’ve made an impact in the limited time they’ve seen on the court.

The players who are expected to do well, Jason Terry, Jeff Green, and Chris Wilcox have elevated their games, leading the bench in scoring and setting the tone for the rest of the bench. In the month of March alone, here is what they’re averaging for points scored in the last eight games.

• Jeff Green – 13.6 ppg
• Jason Terry -10.7 ppg
• Chris Wilcox – 4.8 ppg

With that type of offense coming off the bench, Boston has become a dangerous team, even when the starters are off the floor. It’s been a good five to six years since the Celtics could boast that they have a deep bench, not just on paper, but on a nightly basis during games. Recently, the Celtics have been able to put away teams without much help from the starters, which has given the veterans much needed rest in the fourth quarter. In 2010, the bench would rarely maintain or extend leads throughout games, but since January, this year’s Celtics team hasn’t had that problem.

The bench has been a vital part of Boston’s success without Rondo. They’ve carried the team far during the last few months allowing the starters to take a back seat for a few games and easing the pressure off of their shoulders. The Celtics have positioned themselves to be a dangerous opponent to anyone who faces them in the playoffs. If Boston wants to go far in the postseason, the bench will have to remain consistent. With the veteran leadership this team possesses, and their determination to win, I doubt we’ll see anyone slacking or not producing from here on out. This team is special, and if they continue to trust each other they’ll get past any opponent standing in their way.