Celtics player power rankings: Jae Crowder grabs top spot as home streak continues
COMMENTARY
Ten is the magic number for the Celtics in this week’s edition of the player power rankings. The Celtics win over the Heat on Saturday gave them a 10-game winning streak at TD Garden and also pushed the team to a season-high 10 games over .500. That’s the best overall record Boston has had since the 2011-12 season.
With six of the team’s next eight games coming in the friendly confines of the Garden, the Celtics have a real chance to gain some separation between themselves and the remainder of the Eastern Conference teams chasing them for the No. 3 seed. Let’s explore some of the names that will have to step up during that stretch in this week’s rankings.
Not ranked: Kelly Olynyk. A shoulder injury suffered just before the All-Star break is expected to keep the big man sidelined for at least another couple weeks.
“I would say it’s getting better slowly but surely,’’ Olynyk said of the ailment. “Like I said before, it’s tough with these things. They just come along slowly and then you hit a stride, really.’’
13. James Young: The second-year guard was the first Celtics player to be optioned to the Maine Red Claws of the D-League after the All-Star break and his two games in Portland indicate he’s having a tough time shaking off some rust. He’s averaging just 12 point per game on 31.8 percent shooting in those contests.
12. Terry Rozier: Even the rookie looked a little surprised when Celtics coach Brad Stevens called upon him for the final three seconds of the first half against Miami on Saturday. It was his first “meaningful’’ action for Boston since November.
11. R.J. Hunter: The shooting guard made a brief cameo in the Celtics’ rotation on Thursday night against the Bucks. He went scoreless in four minutes. Still, that playing time combined with Young’s stint in Maine signifies Hunter stands a little bit in front of his 20-year-old teammate in the team’s pecking order at wing.
10. Jordan Mickey: With nothing else was working against Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns on Monday, Celtics coach Brad Stevens rolled out the rookie to take his shot. Two minutes and one rushed hook shot later, Mickey was back on the bench. He’ll continue to provide emergency depth for the frontcourt until Olynyk’s return.
9. Jonas Jerebko: In Saturday’s win over the Heat, the stretch four showed no ill effects of a sore ankle that forced him to miss part of Friday’s practice. He also broke out of a 0-for-6 shooting slump from downtown with a pair of key 3-pointers. His ability to spread the floor will be big for the next few weeks with Olynyk sidelined.
8. Tyler Zeller: With David Lee out of the picture and Kelly Olynyk on the shelf, Zeller’s getting his first true crack at consistent playing time since November. The fourth-year center has made the most of it thus far, averaging an efficient 8.5 points in just 15.5 minutes per game in the month of February.
7. Amir Johnson: The big man snapped an 18-game double-digit scoring drought on Thursday night against the Bucks by posting 15 points in the win.
6. Marcus Smart: The offensive numbers may not be pretty, but Smart’s contribution to the Celtics’ success remains among the team’s most important. In Boston’s five games since the All-Star break, he leads the squad in net rating (+10.1).
5. Evan Turner: Boston’s sixth man helped rescue the starters in Saturday’s win over the Heat, providing 14 points, nine assists and six rebounds off the bench. Such stellar play from the second unit has been a regular occurrence lately, as Turner noted after the game: “I think the second spot always holds it down. It’s just not tonight, it’s all the time.’’
4. Jared Sullinger: With four double-doubles in his last six games, the 6-foot-9 forward has broken out of his January funk with 51.2 percent shooting in the month of February. He’s also a big fan of Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge’s decision to stand pat at the trade deadline.
“The last couple years we had players in and out, in and out, in and out,’’ Sullinger said. “Now we’ve developed a trust with the guys in this locker room now, and we’re just moving forward and playing the best basketball we can play.’’
3. Avery Bradley: The shooting guard tweaked his ankle in the second half of Saturday’s showdown against the Heat, but returned during crunch time.
“He twisted his ankle. He said he was fine to finish. I don’t have any update from there,’’ Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after the game.
After averaging a team-high 35.6 minutes per game in the month of February, any time Bradley misses would be a big blow to Stevens’ rotation.
2. Isaiah Thomas: The 5-foot-9 All-Star struggled against Hassan Whiteside and the Heat, scoring just 12 points in the win on 4-of-17 shooting. That subpar output underscored just how consistent Thomas has been for the Celtics this season. Incredibly, it was only the third time in 60 games this year that the point guard has scored 12 or fewer points in a contest.
1. Jae Crowder: ESPN’s Zach Lowe summed up Crowder’s play in Boston’s small-ball lineup perfectly.
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