This statistic pegs Celtics' Crowder as a top-20 NBA talent
The Boston Celtics are in search of All-Star talent, but they might already have some beneath their nose.
Jae Crowder's traditional statistics aren't eye-popping, but according to ESPN's updated Real Plus-Minus metric, he's one of the 20 best players in the entire NBA. Here's more on this phenomenon from MassLive's Jay King:
Crowder's existence does not mean the Celtics should stop hunting for a star, but it's good to see his somewhat-unquantifiable impact get placed under a spotlight. He's a terrific defensive player whose constant hustle and energy helps make Boston's defense one of the best in the league.
He can't shoot or create his own shot, and that's troubling. But the positives are tremendous.
Informed that ESPN's real plus-minus stat holds Jae Crowder in high regard so far this season, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens did not sound overly surprised. Every day, Stevens receives a breakdown of Boston's own plus-minus stats -- "adjusted plus-minus, real plus-minus and game-to-game plus-minus and all that other stuff," the coach explained. Those numbers also shine favorably on Crowder. "I don't necessarily know exactly the difference between ours and theirs," Stevens said Tuesday night before a road bout with the Atlanta Hawks, "but Jae's high in both. And he's had a good impact on our team."
