So, let’s talk about Jamal Crawford. Oddly enough,
If you’re into basketball, you know the name.
If you aren’t, you’re missing out on one of the most unique careers in NBA history.
Most guys play until they can’t walk anymore.
Jamal? He played until he was literally hurt.
I mean, he kept going past the point where most players would have retired years ago.
He’s got this nickname, “Mr. Now think about that for a second.
Clutch,” but honestly, he wasn’t just clutch.
He was unstoppable.
We’re talking about a guy who could score 50 points on your best defender.
It’s actually insane when you think about it.
I remember watching him play for the Clippers back in the day, and you’d just see him take three steps back, kind of wobble, and the ball would just fall through the net.
It felt scripted, like he was filming a commercial, but it was just him being Jamal.
Oddly enough,
The 63-Point Night That Broke the Internet
Okay, let’s get to the most important part.
The 63-point game.
This happened in 2014, against the Charlotte Bobcats.
It was one of those nights where nothing went wrong.
Just every shot he threw up felt perfect.
From three, from the free throw line, mid-range…
it didn’t matter.
At the time, nobody had ever dropped 60 points off the bench.
Crawford changed that narrative.
It proved that bench players could be superstars if the ball was in their hands enough.
The funny part is, the Bobcats were actually playing him close in the fourth quarter.
They were doubling him. Here’s the interesting part.
But he just kept scoring.
It’s the kind of performance that makes you say, “Wait, that just happened?” It’s rare to see someone dominate a game like that without being the main guy in the starting lineup.
Bouncing Around: The Knicks and Clippers Era
His career was a bit of a rollercoaster.
He started with the Warriors, then went to the Hawks, Bulls, Nets, and Knicks.
Honestly, his time with the Knicks was legendary, mostly because of his rivalry with Carmelo Anthony. Now think about that for a second.
They had this fun little thing where they’d trash talk each other before the game and then just score at will once it started.
It was entertaining basketball.
Then, he landed in Los Angeles.
That’s where a lot of his best stuff happened.
The Clippers gave him the freedom to shoot.
And he took full advantage.
Even though the team had stars like Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, Crawford was the guy you tuned in to see.
He made the Clippers exciting just by being on the floor.
You never knew when he was going to pull up for a wild shot.
The 6th Man Club
People often forget this, but Jamal Crawford was the first player in NBA history to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award three times.
That’s a huge deal.
Usually, those awards go to role players who defend well and run the offense.
Crawford? He won it because he was the best scorer on the floor, even when he wasn’t starting.
- 1st Award: 2010 with Atlanta Hawks
- 2nd Award: 2014 with Los Angeles Clippers
- 3rd Award: 2016 with Los Angeles Clippers
It shows you how valuable he was to those teams.
He could come in, score 15 points in the first quarter, and save the rest for the fourth when the game was on the line.
But there’s a catch.
Playing Style: The Wobbly Shot
His shot was…
well, it was weird.
If you look at his mechanics, it’s all over the place.
He doesn’t have a perfect release point.
It’s high and sometimes off-balance.
But it works.
Why? Because he’s so skilled with the ball in his hands.
He mastered the step-back three.
He could beat you off the dribble, then create space, and then shoot over you.
It’s almost unfair. Here’s the interesting part.
From what I’ve seen, his signature move is the around-the-world move he used to do in streetball before the NBA caught on.
It’s unpredictable.
You don’t know where the ball is going to go until it leaves his hand.
But there’s a catch.
Retirement and Legacy
Oddly enough,
He retired in 2020, but he couldn’t stay away for long.
In 2021, he came out of retirement to play for the Jordan Brand Globetrotters.
It was a fun little comeback just to have one last hoorah.
It showed his love for the game.
He wasn’t chasing money at that point; he was just chasing the fun.
For anyone looking to build their own basketball knowledge, studying Crawford is a must.
He teaches you that there’s more than one way to be a great scorer.
You don’t need perfect form to be great.
You just need to be able to put the ball in the basket.
Final Thoughts
Jamal Crawford’s career is a reminder that NBA history is full of weird stories.
He’s not in the Hall of Fame yet, which is a hot topic of debate, but his stats speak for themselves.
He has the most 50-point games in NBA history.
Period.
If you’re into basketball cards or memorabilia, his rookie cards from the early 2000s are actually pretty valuable now.
Especially the ones from the Warriors or Bulls era.
It’s crazy to think that a guy who was known for flopping and showing off sometimes is now a valuable collectible.
But hey, that’s the business side of the game.
So, next time you see him on TNT, don’t just tune out.
He usually has some pretty funny stories about the old days.
He’s a character, and in the NBA, being a character is half the battle.
And hey, if you ever get the chance to watch a full game of his, do it. Oddly enough,
It’s like watching a highlight reel for 48 minutes.
And this is where things get interesting.
Image source: pexels.com
Image source credit: pexels.com