Are J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford the NBA's Best Shooting Guard Combination?
The lack of quality shooting guards around the league is quite alarming, unless you are a Los Angeles Clippers fan. Arguably the weakest position in the NBA, the Clippers are fortunate enough to have two of the better shooting guards around. Even more fortuitous is how well J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford fit with the rest of the Clippers’ roster.
Outside of James Harden, naming the five best 2-guards is pretty difficult. Kobe Bryant should be on the list, but who knows how he will return after his Achilles injury. Dwyane Wade had a good regular season but faded in the playoffs last year. Then there is Bradley Beal, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, Manu Ginobili and on down the list. You might as well draw four out of a hat.
When it comes to quality shooting guards, few teams have a good duo. In fact, there is only one other team that can make a case for having a better combination than the Clippers.
Los Angeles Clippers: J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford
Truly one of the most lethal shooting guard combinations in the league, Redick and Crawford were vital to the Clippers' transformation into the highest scoring team in the league. Individual talents aside for a second, both players are perfect fits in Doc Rivers’ system and proved why.
Redick, despite an injury-plagued season in which he only played 35 games, had one of the better statistical seasons of his career. Playing alongside Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, Redick scored a career-high 15.2 points per game and shot 45.5 percent from the field.
Not only does Redick’s shooting help space the floor, but his ability to serve as a secondary ball-handler was pivotal. Redick is already difficult to defend because he moves so well without the ball, but he makes things even worse when he attacks off the dribble after those screens.
Furthermore, according to Basketball Reference, Redick used 21.8 percent of the team’s possessions while on the floor, but he turned the ball over only 8.6 percent of the time, a career-low.
Crawford’s talents are used quite differently than Redick’s, which makes them an interesting duo. More known for his ability to score out of isolation using his patented crossover, Crawford leads the Clippers’ second unit.
Despite bouncing around the league for years, Crawford seems to have found a home with the Clippers. Perhaps more importantly, he has been put in position to succeed by utilizing his strengths instead of attempting to fit him into an offense.
Rivers basically allows Crawford to lead the reserve unit, putting the ball in his hands and letting him attack. It worked out quite well last season, as Crawford scored 18.6 points per game and won his second Sixth Man Award.
Together, the two bring contrasting styles on offense, but that is what makes the duo so effective. Crawford offered up similar sentiments after the Clippers defeated the Golden State Warriors in the playoffs, according to Clippers.com’s Eric Patten.
“We have confidence in each other and play off each other really well and I think all of our guys do,” Crawford said. “We play two different styles, but both are effective. And I think it gives teams different looks.”
San Antonio Spurs: Manu Ginobili and Danny Green
Sporting some brand new championship rings, Danny Green and Ginobili are a formidable pair to stack against Redick and Crawford. While not quite as unique offensively, they combine to form the total package of shot creation, shooting and defense.
Ginobili is one of the best shooting guards in the history of the sport, but continues to be effective as he grows older. He has won four NBA Titles, a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2001 Euroleague championship. That looks like a Hall of Fame career to me.
Although he has not averaged more than 24 minutes per game in the last three seasons, he remains effective at drawing fouls, creating off the dribble and scoring. According to 82games, Ginobili led all Spurs regulars with a net plus-8.8 on/off court differential.
What is even more impressive is that, according to Basketball Reference, Ginobili recorded the three highest assist percentages of his career the past three seasons. This is a true testament to Ginobili’s ability to adjust his game to fit Gregg Popovich’s faster paced offensive system, focused on ball movement.
Meanwhile, Danny Green seems to be the future of the Spurs at shooting guard. A career 42.1 percent shooter from three, Green has flourished with the Spurs despite being waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Spurs in 2010.
In fact, Green left Popovich a pleading voicemail after being cut by the Spurs in 2010, according to ESPN.com’s J.A. Adande:
“This is not strictly a case of the system making the player. Green had to transform into a player worthy of being in the system, starting with a voicemail plea to Popovich to bring him back after he was cut in 2010. Pop is glad he didn't erase it.”
Green’s perseverance and penchant for hitting timely threes, nearly won the Spurs a title two seasons ago. Although they fell short to the Miami Heat, Green set an NBA Finals record by making 27 threes throughout the series.
Combine his stellar shooting with solid perimeter defense and he fits the Spurs’ system seamlessly. While not as talented Ginobili, Green’s ability to defend multiple positions and hit the corner three makes him just as dangerous as the ageless Ginobili, and they were key reasons why the Spurs won it all last season.
Verdict
This race is neck and neck, coming down the stretch. There are so many data points that can sway the decision either way. Watching each combination on the floor together makes things even more difficult.
Statistically speaking, the duo of Redick and Crawford combined for 33.8 points per game last season versus 21.4 for Green and Ginobili. However, the Spurs combination shot a better overall percentage from the field than the Clippers’.
Watching tape on the four players, each pair has an explosive scorer along with a deadly outside shooter. All four play their roles beautifully in their respective systems, but it is clear to see which duo has more responsibility.
The Clippers’ shooting guards are much more involved in the offense, totaling a usage percentage of 49 compared to the Spurs’ total of 41.4 percent. Additionally, Crawford and Redick averaged an offensive rating of 113.5, while Ginobili and Green averaged 109.5.
| J.J. Redick | 16.6 | .598 | 12.6 | 21.8 | 117 | 109 |
| Jamal Crawford | 17.3 | .556 | 17.4 | 27.2 | 110 | 109 |
| Manu Ginobili | 20.0 | .590 | 29.0 | 24.7 | 112 | 103 |
| Danny Green | 13.9 | .580 | 8.9 | 16.7 | 107 | 101 |
Clearly, Doc Rivers relied more on Redick and Crawford’s offensive output than Popovich did on Ginobili and Green. Extrapolating offensive totals over 82 games would show the Clippers’ duo as having more impact offensively, but the Spurs combination is much more efficient overall, as the chart above displays.
Unfortunately for Clippers fans, Ginobili and Green begin to pull away when all statistics and results are compiled. For as much as Redick and Crawford contributed offensively for Rivers, Popovich’s duo was so efficient that they come out slightly ahead.
One key component in this comparison is Ginobili’s unreal ability to create offense and dish out assists in limited minutes. His ability to outperform his counterparts offensively, while contributing positively on defense was crucial to the Spurs' success.
The same can be said for Green, however, replace the passing and shot creating with lethal shooting and suffocating defense. Green developed into one of the premier defensive shooting guards in the league last season, according to ESPN’s real plus-minus statistic, developed by Kevin Pelton.
Green finished behind only Tony Allen at shooting guard in the defensive real plus-minus rankings. Meanwhile, Ginobili finished second in offensive real plus-minus at the position, behind James Harden. Finally, both players finished in the top 10 at the position in wins above replacement.
Moving forward, can the Spurs duo continue their amazing efficiency or will the Clippers’ combination overtake them with their offensive firepower this season? Either way, for as well as Redick and Crawford played last season, Ginobili and Green were integral to the Spurs' championship run and come out slightly ahead.
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