Why is it that everytime I think of Jamal Crawford I get childhood pop culture flashbacks? I’ve always felt like I missed out  growing up as a teen in the 1980′s. Besides the glaring exceptions of hip-hop’s emergence, the NBA, and Platoon, the 1980′s seem like pop culture’s most forgettable decade in terms of music, movies, and other creative cultural expression — sports included. But that could be a whole other column. Anyway, for better or worse, watching Jamal Crawford — born in 1980 — brings me back there. And not all of the best parts either. Here’s to viewing the NBA’s greatest tease through ’80′s cheese — with a couple of exceptions…

 

"About Last Night": Did you catch Friday night’s Knick game? Jamal had the stroke going again as he dropped a season-high 43 on the Raptors in a close Knicks win. Most points came through an array long range jumpers from at least 16 feet out from various angles and spots on the floor including another vintage Jamal 20 point quarter. Had he not settled for 3-point shots in the 4th quarter, and he could have easily had 50+ points – again. Like he did once before to the Raptors while a member of the Chicago Bulls, and like he did last year against the Miami Heat.

 

The Seduction (triple Velveeta): … It happened January 26, 2007 in a 52 point night that included the greatest shooting zone that I have ever witnessed (see video for yourself). Better than any Bernard King gem, better than MJ’s 63, and arguably more impressive than Kobe’s 81 (hear me out!). By the middle of the 2nd quarter Jamal had only 6 points — then he went unconscious posting 40 in the next quarter-and-a half. For the mathematically-challenged, that’s 40 points in 18 minutes. But it wasn’t just the 14 consecutive shots (of 16 in a row), but it was the degree of difficulty that was the most incredible part of the performance. There were no “gimmes” or dunks, only two lay-ups, and merely three foul shots. In between there was a collection off-balance 20 footers, mid-range fade-aways, and a slew of 3-point bombs that even included a 4-point play. The Knick bench went wild, the Knick fans went wild, and I called up every friend midway through the game to turn on their TV. Want a fun fact? Crawford actually scored 23 in the 4th quarter in his previous game, so over a 49 minute period going mid-4th quarter across both games, he drained 75 points! Jamal can spell K-O-B-E on any random night. And he can make fans delusional enough to think that Kobe might show up tomorrow. But unlike Mr. Bryant, you really don’t want to take him home to mother.

 

 


Bette Davis Eyes: "He’ll tease you. He’ll unease you. All the better just to please you. He’s precocious. And he knows just what it takes to make a pro blush"…  Don’t believe me? Check out these crazy shake-and-bakes, killer crossovers, and sick ankle breakers like this one on Deron Williams… or this on Kirk Hinrich… or this one on D-Wade… or this one on Ben Gordon. What about this self-back board pass, this circus-shot, or some of these clutch game-winners. If the NBA gave out style points, Crawford would be a first ballot Hall-of-Famer. Because it doesn’t, Jamal is one of the hardest players to have a conversation about with fans who are blinded by the light-ening quick crossover. Loyal Jamal fans tend to forget his last brickfest faster than he forgets his last brick. They also tend to forget that he takes horrible shots, the ball stops moving on the perimeter when he gets it, and the opposing defense stops moving along with it (see Zach Randolph for frontcourt version). He doesn’t drive and get to the line nearly enough for a shooting guard who is not a pure shooter.


Easy Lover: “You’re the one that wants to hold her. Hold her and control her. You’d better forget it. You’ll never get it.”…  Jamal may be an easy lover, but waiting for the next mind-blowing one-night-stand comes at a price.  Whether you get "Crawsome" or "Crawful" is pure crap shoot. No rhyme or reason to it. Besides that Miami game, last year brought multi-game stretches of 7 -39, 8 – 35, and 9 – 34.  This is why he is known as one of the NBA’s streakiest shooters. But yearly statistics tell another story. Beginning with his very first full season with the Chicago Bulls in 2002-03, Crawford’s field goal % has been 41%, 39%, 40%, 41.6%, and 40%. This year? Big surprise: It’s 41.2%. This ranks #27 amongst shooting guards and #56 for all guards[1].  He just may be the most consistently inconsistent shooter in the league. Or is that inconsistently consistent? Either way, after 82 games, you know exactly what you’re getting: a low percentage shooter who doesn’t make up for it by getting to the line, by playing tough defense, or by limiting his mistakes (2.7 turnovers pg). And for a starting shooting guard that formula is rarely a winning one. Bottom line: Jamal has hit his ceiling. His 41% does not represent an "off year". If Crawford’s game, shot selection, and shooting percentage has not improved thus far, we’d better forget it. We’ll never get it.

  

 


Wild Wild West (hold the cheese; pure classic!): "He lives downtown – on 33rd Street. Garden – everything’s upbeat. Just like – ball in the park. Nothing – but chucks after dark"...  Have you ever been in a restaurant or a public place, saw young children wreaking havoc, and were angry with the parents inability to corral their own kids? Meet Coach Isiah Thomas.  If Jamal is red hot, he rightfully stays in the game. If he is ice cold, he still stays in the game. If Jamal plays no D , he stays in. If another young Knick misses one defensive assignment, he’s back to the bench. If Jamal is hot, he shoots the last shot. If he is not, he still shoots the last shot (top of the key isolation – write it down). But doesn’t Jamal have a Knicks history of hitting clutch shots and game winners? Well, yes. But a big part of the reason is that he is always the guy who has the ball in his hands come crunch time. 

 

StopMikeLupica (via 82 Games Clutch Stats) tells us that Jamal is shooting a paltry 26% in the clutch this year. Perhaps the best example is the Knicks overtime loss against Portland where Jamal missed his last 12 shots which included launching regulation’s final three shots. Of course, that occurence is on Isiah. It is also on Isiah that when Stephon Marbury – a superior distributor and promoter of ball movement — was playing, Isiah had Crawford splitting time at the point. After Marbury’s injury Crawford still splits time instead of making a greater commitment to developing the point skills of Nate Robinson or Mardy Collins during a season going nowhere.  Isiah loves Jamal, but just refuses to coach him. He will not maximize his strengths or minimize his weaknesses. Rooting for a Knick victory has been often reduced to hoping that Jamal gets hot that night.

 

Jamal will not be ignored. Sandwiched by Allen Iverson and Lebron James, Crawford is second in the NBA in minutes per game this year. However, his DNA screams “6th man of the year”.  Ben Gordon does it. JR Smith does it. And it won’t stop their hot streaks either. Gordon and Smith combined for 80 points in the same game on Friday night.  If world champion Manu Ginobili can do it, why not Jamal? If anyone knows the difference between having a "streaky" vs. "steady" back court teammate, it is Isiah. Crawford is more Vinnie Johnson, but coach plays him like Joe Dumars.  If used properly, Jamal can be a great asset to a winning team. But as long as Madison Square Garden is allowed to be his personal playground, the Knicks will not only not win, but won’t develop young talent along the way. At the end of the day, after all the sublime one-night stands, jaw dropping crossovers, and impossible off-balance jumpers, Jamal is still a 41% gunner who can barely stop his opponent. To accept that guy as the star of your team could only end up a Fatal Attraction.

 

 

 

 

[1] See Hollinger’s Field Goal Leaders: Note: Jamal’s FG% actually ranks lower, but in fairness any player who did not play a minimum of 25 minutes was eliminated from the list.