Heading to the final games of the regular season, the Boston Celtics need to figure out how to adjust their rotation for the next couple of weeks, now that Jae Crowder faces an ankle injury. They Celtics are currently one game ahead of the Miami Heat and just 1.5 games ahead of the fifth seeded Charlotte Hornets, which means that home court in the first round is still up for grabs. Since the beginning of the season, it has been often highlighted how much Crowder means to the Boston Celtics, so during his absence, head coach Brad Stevens has to find a way to make things work for his team.
Crowder’s versatility is something that makes him unique within the Celtics’ roster and that’s why he can’t be replaced easily. His ability to impact the game in so many ways makes him very valuable: size, quickness, toughness, offensive contribution and defensive awareness. This is a big void to cover so Boston will need some other guys to step up. Perhaps we will see Evan Turner as a starter or even Marcus Smart in a three-guard lineup, but what about the Jonas Jerebko? Can the Swedish forward rise to the occasion and be that guy?
Jonas Jerebko has established himself as a solid part of the Celtics’ second unit. He and Kelly Olynyk have the ability to space the floor with their efficient long-range shooting, allowing Evan Turner and Marcus Smart to attack the basket. Jerebko’s stats are far from impressive as he is playing 14.5 minutes and contributing just 4.2 points and 3.5 rebounds. However, along with Olynyk, he is the best 3-point shooter of the team, shooting over 41 percent beyond the arc and has managed to find a role he feels comfortable with.
Even with Jerebko’s versatility and his ability to play at both forward spots, it’s likely that he won’t get many minutes in the small forward position after all. This season, Jerebko has played mostly at power forward (almost 80 percent of his playing time) and perhaps that’s what he will continue to do by taking much of Jae’s time at the 4 position in the next two weeks. Apart from increased playing time, we will also see Jonas taking a few more three point attempts so as to cover up for Crowder’s absence.
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The task to fill Crowder’s role is quite tough for Stevens and we might even see four or five different guys trying to fill his void. Jonas Jerebko has the chance to provide more scoring for the team, either with his long range shooting or by spacing the floor for his teammates, and to contribute defensively with his size against opposing forwards. Ultimately, I don’t see the Swedish forward as the guy who will take Crowder’s minutes at small forward, but mostly as the bench player who has to step up his game and help Celtics’ second unit become even more efficient.