Stevens turns to Crowder for energy and physicality

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BOSTON – As expected, the Boston Celtics are tweaking their starting lineup with the insertion of Jae Crowder.

He replaces rookie Marcus Smart who according to head coach Brad Stevens, overslept and was late to the team’s morning shoot-around.

However, the decision to start Crowder had nothing to do with Smart’s tardiness.

“I decided that (on Saturday), just because Jae has been pretty good in this series,” Stevens said. “I could have gone in a couple of different directions with that, but … it’s just five more minutes where you’re matched up a little bit more traditionally.”

Although the Celtics trail in the series 3-0, Crowder has been among those to spearhead a more physical style of play by Boston which has allowed to be within striking distance in all three games – but in particular the last two games.

Stevens has hinted that a lineup change was under consideration for weeks, so it didn’t come as a total surprise to Boston unveil a new lineup.

“I thought about a couple different ones, but this one we’ve always discussed,” Stevens said. “Jae has given us a great boost off the bench. Jae plays a lot of minutes for us. I don’t think it changes that much, to be honest.”

Although Boston has held its own to start games, the insertion of Crowder with the first unit provides Boston with a more physical, balanced starting five that the Celtics hope will do what the previous three starting groups couldn’t do – lead the team to victory.

“You have to be appropriately physical,” Stevens said. “You have to play with that edge, you have to play with that toughness. You don’t want to cross the line. But he (Crowder) has to be able to know how he can best defend somebody. Obviously you can’t foul LeBron. So he has to be able to do that within the way the rules are. Jae is a guy that is best because of his competitive spirit. And I think that competitive spirit is something that … he wants to compete. And very rarely do you see a guy that wants to compete at that level that you would label soft. I think that’s something that I doubt anybody has ever labeled Jae as.”

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