| Crawford The Missing Link? Authored by Jason M. Williams - March 23, 2007 - 11:46 am
As the New York Knicks “battle” for one of the two final playoff berths in the Eastern Conference, it is becoming increasing apparent that they are missing one key piece to the puzzle. Since Jamal Crawford was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his ankle on February 27, 2007, the Knicks have gone 4-6 against teams with a combined .437 winning percentage (ignoring the Dallas Mavericks defeat). On the surface, that does not seem too bad for a mediocre team in today’s NBA. However, looking past the numbers and onto the court, it is becoming evident that Jamal Crawford’s presence during the final moments of a close game is vital to the success of the Knicks.
Three of the last four Knick home games have been decided by 6 points or less, and the fans have sat and watched as the Knicks fail to convert in key clutch situations. In a 1-point loss to Seattle, Stephon Marbury missed what would have been a game-tying foul shot as time expired. Their next home game saw three failed shot attempts in the closing 15 seconds as they lost to New Orleans by 2. Their last game against Portland saw the team completely self-destruct in the final 2 minutes and 30 seconds after closing to within 2 points on Nate Robinson’s 3-pointer. With the ball and down only 3, the Knicks missed their next four shots, allowed three offensive rebounds, and committed four mindless fouls. With no leader on the court willing to step up and take command of the situation, the Knicks have squandered ideal opportunities to assert themselves into the heart of playoff contention.
Normally, Jamal Crawford is the first option for Isiah Thomas’ squad, and he relishes the spotlight with the game on the line. His ability to take control of close games in the waning moments has been, and will be, severely missed down the stretch for a team scratching and clawing for a playoff berth. With the game hanging in the balance and Crawford nowhere to be found, the Knicks appear to have plenty of CTU Field Agents, but no Jack Bauer.
Last season, Crawford emerged as the team’s go-to scorer down the stretch as he ended 4 of the Knicks’ 23 wins with buzzer-beating game-winning jumpers. Already this season, he has propelled them to a huge triple overtime victory over Detroit at the Garden, nailed a clutch game-winning 3-point shot in Denver, dominated the final minutes of the Martin Luther King Day matinee versus Sacramento, delivered a clutch 3-pointer to put them up by 3 versus Milwaukee (before the phantom foul on Channing Frye clinched the game), and sealed the final game he appeared in against Miami with a 3-pointer off a deflected Malik Rose pass.
The continued toughness and moxie he has developed as a go-to scorer in the fourth quarter has propelled himself into a class of players that are rare commodities in the league. Scoring 20 points per game is a great feat, but delivering clutch shots when everyone is focused on you time after time is what builds legends. Jamal Crawford’s ability to score in the clutch has elevated him in the upper echelon of crunch-time performers with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Gilbert Arenas, Chauncey Billups, and Carmelo Anthony. Just ask Dirk Nowitzki what the difference is between scoring 25 points over the first 47 minutes or scoring 2 in the final minute.
Not only is his jump shot a weapon for success in at the conclusion of games, but it is also a major deterrent in the breaking down the opponent’s defensive strategy. He has also boosted the Knicks to key victories with his vision when he delivered the key pass for Eddy Curry’s game-winning alley-oop dunk in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
Not only has Jamal Crawford’s absence handicapped the team at the end of games, but also has become a scapegoat for Eddy Curry’s recent struggles. With opponents no longer concerned with containing Crawford off the dribble, they have been able to double and triple team Curry with reckless abandon. Since Crawford and Curry have been best friends since their days in Chicago, they compliment one another well. With Jamal in the lineup, Curry was used to being on the receiving end of countless lobs and easy buckets set up by Crawford’s uncanny ability to draw in defenders while penetrating the paint. In his ten games since the injury, Curry’s numbers have fallen from 19.5 PPG and 60% FG% to 15.4 PPG and 45% FG%.
With only 14 games remaining in the Knicks season, they sit ½ game out of the 8th seed. However, their remaining schedule only gets more difficult as the days pass, with only 6 more home games and 9 against teams currently in playoff positions. If the Knicks wish to reach the postseason for the first time since the 2003-04 season, they will have to elevate their game over the final minutes of close games without JC serving as their savior.
Jason can be reached at Jason.Williams@RealGM.com for comments. |
