Evan Turner Must Shine Without Jae Crowder

The Boston Celtics now have the impossible task of attempting to replace Jae Crowder for at least two weeks. Brad Stevens has already spoken about the opportunity this will create for the young players who have been trapped on the bench this season. While the more inexperienced players will certainly have a larger role in order to make up for the loss, Evan Turner may be the only one who can get close to Crowder’s impact on the defensive end.

Offense is a completely different story. Crowder is doing most of his work from beyond the three point line and Turner has been one of the worst three point shooters on the team. The offense is something that the Celtics should not miss nearly as much, especially with the impending return of Kelly Olynyk. Crowder has been huge on offense but they run a system that will continue to get production out of the players on the court. Turner, however, is their only hope to find someone that can help with his impact on the defensive end.

Turner has always been one of the stronger defenders on the Celtics. His combination of size and athleticism gives him the potential to go head to head with any opposing guard in the NBA. Unfortunately, things will be different with Crowder out of the lineup. Turner’s responsibility will not only increase in that the Celtics no longer have a player to matchup against the opposing team’s best player, but he will have to help guard a wider range of positions.

Crowder’s impact on defense is not something that Turner will be able to completely replicate, but he is the closest they can get to it. Perhaps Jonas Jerebko can help on the defensive end with extra size but Turner’s similarity in size to Crowder and ability to shut down opponents means he will get the majority of the added responsibility. Even if Turner does not take his place on the starting lineup, he will surely spend more time on the court against the opposing team’s first unit.

Turner has both the weight and the height to compare to Crowder, and he is the only player on the Celtics who can say that. If Stevens decides to get really creative with his replacement, Jordan Mickey may be the next closest thing. However, he may not be too keen on the idea of having a rookie with the hardest defensive matchup, even a rookie who has thoroughly dominated the D League with his defensive ability.

Turner has proven that he has no problem taking on that additional defensive role. defense has always been his strength and if he does nothing more on the offensive end he will still be the most important player in getting through the Crowder injury.

Small forward depth has been a problem all season long. They do not have another natural small forward but the way Stevens has used his lineups makes it a non issue for Turner to transition from guard to small forward. Stevens has been using three and even four guard lineups. Turner’s position versatility has been a huge asset this season and it will become much more important now.

Crowder has been the Celtics’ best defender this year and the defensive leader. His impact on the defensive end cannot possibly be quantified but the Celtics cannot afford to lose their defensive edge while he is out. The Celtics could see themselves plummet down the extremely tight eastern conference standings if they do not maintain their high level of defensive play without Crowder.

Turner should give Stevens the confidence that Crowder’s replacement will be far from a liability. Turner may not be quite as big or quite as strong as Crowder and he may not capture the same level of intensity on the court but he can fill in well enough. While Crowder is the Celtics’ best individual defender, their guards have been the most important unit to the defense and Turner is a huge reason why.

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Turner has proven that he is more than a capable defender and he needs to be able to fully utilize his size and athleticism because much of Crowder’s impact came from those areas. Turner has been one of the better surprises for the Celtics this year but he needs to step his game up once again. Offense will be of minor concern to Turner with Crowder out. The Celtics know that they can manage without getting a proper replacement for Crowder on the offensive end, but they may not be able to hold things together if they do not get a proper replacement for him on the defensive end.