Can Jae Crowder keep up his NBA-leading 3.4 steals per game?


If you play loose with the ball around Jae Crowder, there is a good chance that he is going to take it from you. Through seven games this season Crowder is averaging 3.4 steals per game, which is best in the NBA. We knew that he was going to be a quality perimeter defender based on his past performance, but I don't think anyone could have seen him coming out this strong.

According to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, this uptick in steals has been a product of dedicated film study and of all of his opponents:

Crowder, who often guards the opponent’s most dangerous scorer, uses the information to complement scouting reports. His identity is his defense, and despite having the physical gifts, he knows that without preparation, his edge would be minimized.

“You study the opponent and study the game plan and just have to be confident in your work,” he said. “You have to know your opponent and you have to be active. That’s all it is.”

Crowder has been extremely disruptive on the defensive end this season and seems to be ramping up his intensity because of the increase in his minutes. He is going up against some of the elite wing scorers on a nightly basis and has proven that he has the mindset, as well as the physique, to compete with them. He prides himself on his ability to shut people down, and leading the league in steals per game comes with that territory.



Can Crowder keep up these ridiculous steal totals for the entirety of the season?

Photo Credit: Darron Cummings/AP
Follow Connor Casey on Twitter @Connor_Casey5
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