After missing 26 games due to a knee injury, Allen Crabbe has returned and been a difference maker for the Nets. In his three games back Crabbe is averaging 15.3 points and has shot the ball well from deep. In his first game back, Crabbe scored 5 points on 2-5 shooting in just 13 minutes. In the 2 games since then Crabbe has gotten more minutes, and has made them count. In last Friday’s game against the Bulls Crabbe finished with 19 points on 7-12 shooting including 5 made threes. Crabbe torched the Bulls last April for 41 points with 8 threes, and continued his great play against Chicago last week. Crabbe was once again a factor in last night’s game against Toronto, finishing with 22 points on 8-13 shooting and 6-10 shooting from deep. Crabbe tried his best to lead the Nets to a comeback win by hitting 2 tough threes in the final 3 minutes of the game. Last night proved that Crabbe is back in the rotation, as he played 31 minutes. Coach Kenny Atkinson has taken notice of Crabbe’s play, and has inserted him back into the rotation.

Crabbe also wants to prove that he belongs with the Nets. During last week’s trade deadline it was rumored that the Nets offered Crabbe and their own first round pick to the Grizzlies for Garrett Temple and JaMychal Green. Crabbe has been in trade discussions multiple times during the past year because of the contract that is attached to him. Thanks to the Nets, Crabbe signed a 4 year 72 million dollar deal when he was a restricted free agent in the 2016 offseason. Crabbe is a good player, but he is way overpaid. The Nets tried to unload his contact by attaching a first round pick, but the Grizzlies wouldn’t bite. Trading Crabbe would have freed up a lot of cap space for the upcoming offseason to allow the Nets to pursue the like of Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant. Although Crabbe was publicly mentioned in trade discussions, he has no distain with the Nets front office. Crabbe understands that the NBA is a business, and he just wants to play. I think Crabbe has been playing with a little fire lately because he wants to prove to the Nets that he is an asset. Whatever Crabbe is doing he should keep up, as his three point shot looks great. Crabbe will be a key bench player in the Nets playoff run over the next 2 months.

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