Jamal Crawford Has A Chance No Other Los Angeles Clipper Has Ever Had Before
By Derick Green
Clippers new 6th Man!
The Los Angeles Clippers have found their new sharp shooting 6th Man that is known for his instant offense and his killer crawsover (crossover)– the 6’5″, 200lb Jamal Crawford.
The eighth overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft enters his 1st season with the Clippers in which he signed a 4-year/$25 million deal after stints with the Bulls, Knicks, Warriors, and Blazers. Crawford, 32, so far throughout the first 4 preseason games has shown no ill effects from his dismal season in Portland–where he shot his second lowest field goal percentage of 28% and a career low from 3pt line at a poor 30% rate.
Through 4 preseason games he is averaging 28 minutes, 47% shooting from the field (highest in career preseason/regular season), 30% from the 3pt line and a staggering 95% from the free throw stripe. Not known for his defense, Crawford is averaging 1.8 steals a game–which would be a great addition as well as his stellar offense to this years new and improved Clipper team.
Crawford is also known around the NBA as the fourth player in NBA history (Wilt Chamberlain, Bernard King and Moses Malone) to score 50 points or more with 3 different teams; doing so while playing with the Bulls (50pts in 2004), the Knicks (52pts in 2007), and the Warriors (50pts in 2008). Crawford did not meet the 50-pt plateau while playing with the Atlanta Hawks or Portland Trail Blazers.
Clipper Nation get ready to Rise UP and see Jamal go on a shooting barrage to be the first 50-pt game scorer by a Buffalo Brave, San Diego Clipper, or Los Angeles Clipper EVER. It will happen…I hope.
It is yet to be seen if Jamal Crawford (@JCrossver on Twitter) playing his first year in the red, white and blue will get enough playing-time with arguably the best bench in the NBA (with no doubt the best since the Clippers arrived in Los Angeles in 1984) to score 50pts in a game. The off-season acquisitions via trade and free agency of Willie Green (starting now, but will go to bench once Chauncey Billups returns), Matt Barnes, Lamar Odom, and Grant Hill and give the Clippers plenty of options.
Barnes, Odom and Hill are all forwards but could take away time from Crawford. Vinny Del Negro has made very interesting and at times awful decisions in the minute distribution department. We shall see how Vinny incorporates the sweet shooting guard whether it’s at the shooting guard or the point guard position.
Crawford can shoot with the best of them. He can shoot the 264-inch (22ft) 3-pt shot basket and get fouled and go the Free Throw for the good ole-fashioned 4-point play better than any player in NBA History.
“That’s huge,” Crawford noted. “Hopefully I will continue to add to It,” referring to his new record. As the current leader with 34 4-pt plays–which he passed Reggie Miller while playing in Atlanta Vs. his new team the Clippers. Crawford passed Reggie Miller in 744 fewer games, 26,000 less minutes and 3300 less attempted three-pointers. Also to Jamal’s credit he doesn’t use the “leg kick’.
“I shoot when people don’t expect it,” Crawford said. “So when I do they try to react and by that time I am already in my shooting motion.”
I promise fellow Staples Center patrons, he will catch you with your mouth open in awe after you see his signature killer crossover–might even get a little extra if he goes to the line for a 4-pt play. A fun fact: Only one time has an NBA player converted a 4-point play twice in one game, Jamal isn’t the one who did it.
Crawford seems ready to go and light it up from all over the Staples Center, according to a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times this off-season. It was the first time he really took time to work on his shot. Clipper Nation Rise UP and get ready for a good ol fashioned shoot out.
Clipper Nation…Rise UP!
According to Harvey Pollack’s NBA Statistical Yearbook.
http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/crawford_4point_record.html