After re-aggravating a calf injury late in the regular season, which kept him out of eight of LA’s final 11 games, Jamal Crawford struggled in the first two playoff games against the Warriors, shooting 6-for-19 for just 17 points combined in two games at home. But he had a mini resurgence in Game 3 (5-of-11, 13 points) including a nifty behind-the-back step-back that put Klay Thompson on his butt.
Crawford sounded positive about getting close to full health in time for the playoffs when we spoke with him last month. But he struggled to find his shot in the first two games at home, particularly in the opener at Staples when he was just 2-for-11 from the field. He was missing a bunch of runners in the lane that are usually second nature to him, though he did appear to have a spring in his step, which is a good sign moving forward. He got better in Game 2, and found his rhythm enough in Game 3 to make Klay — an above average perimeter defender — look pretty foolish falling here.
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