Jae Crowder realized he couldn’t be too upset about his trade to the Cavaliers, he just had to get accustomed to his new environment and the differences between the Celtics and their primary rivals.
In Cleveland, Crowder is not one of the more grizzled veterans like he was in Boston. He plays with older and more accomplished teammates such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Kevin Love. The Cavaliers have developed a winning culture.
When the Cavaliers came to TD Garden last week and were pounded by the Celtics, Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue viewed it as a normal January loss and sat James for the entire fourth quarter despite his team being within striking distance.
Crowder said he has had to learn that grinding out every possible win and being concerned with playoff seeding is not a priority in Cleveland.
“As long as we make the playoffs, we’ll be fine,’’ Lue said after the Boston loss.
That mentality has rubbed off on Crowder, 27, as has how the 10-year-plus veterans on the team stay prepared.
“It’s very fun to come to work and work alongside these guys,’’ Crowder said. “These guys know what it takes to get to where we want to get to at the end of the season. We always preach about trusting the process and going through the ups and the downs of the season and just embracing it.
“I’ve never been a part of a team that embraced the losing/learning part of the game. I’ve been on teams previously, you lose a game, you get frustrated. You lose two games, you get frustrated. I haven’t sensed that since I’ve been here. It’s kind of fun to be around, to embrace the process. It’s not going to be perfect, but we feel like we have what it takes.’’
The Cavaliers have a reduced practice schedule to reduce wear, but Crowder said he has been impressed with his team’s work ethic and how it maximizes practices.
“These guys work. They know how to work. A lot of young guys don’t know how to work,’’ he said. “They take advantage of their time on the court. They may not spend a lot of time on it, but when they do, they know how to get it in and work. Especially those guys who know it takes a lot to put into this game to get something out of it. Just being around those guys and knowing how to work, when to work, take your job seriously, being an all-around professional, those guys do it day in and day out, it’s special to be around those guys.
“These guys welcomed us with open arms from Day 1. They felt like they needed us and we’ve just been working ever since.’’
When Crowder’s former Celtics teammate Kelly Olynyk made his first TD Garden appearance last month as a member of the Heat, Olynyk reached out to Crowder.
“He texted me before the game and said, ‘I’m in Boston and you might want to watch this,’ ’’ said Crowder, and Olynyk scored a career-high 32 points in a Miami win. “And I watched it and he went crazy. He called me after and said, ‘Boy, that felt so [expletive] good.’ ’’
While Crowder remains a starter, his role has been reduced because of Cleveland’s depth. He has no issue with that. He said he fully understood that his responsibilities would be different than they were with Boston. He entered Friday averaging 8.7 points per game, down from 13.9 last season and 14.2 in 2015-16, his first full season with the Celtics.
“I knew coming to this team I had to sacrifice a few things, whether it be shots, whether it be minutes, stuff like that,’’ he said. “I was all in because I really want to win. I put a lot of time into being the player that I am. I feel like this situation has presented itself at the right time. I’ll do whatever it takes to win a championship.
“I do take winning and losing seriously. I had to get adjusted to not getting too upset when we lose, because I don’t like to lose. But these guys have done a great job of letting me know the process and you have to accept the process and learn from it and not let it happen again. I have accepted my role. A great coaching staff helps talk me through what to expect and how things are being seen. I’ve accepted it and do what I got to do to win.’’
It’s not that Crowder isn’t getting open shots. Because of James and his immense skill set, the Cavaliers space the floor differently than the Celtics. Crowder can sit in the corner, wait for the pass, and launch threes.
“We don’t want to shoot nothing but threes,’’ Crowder said. “When [James] has the ball in his hands, he’s expecting the guys to load it up. He just wants you to shoot the ball. It’s a very free game; we play a very free, relaxed offensive game. You adjust to that because you have one of the best players on the planet and he’s able to do a lot of incredible things with the ball in his hands. He sees the whole floor and he’s telling guys to shoot the ball.’’
Perhaps the biggest difference between Cleveland and perhaps every other NBA team besides Golden State is being a nightly target.
“It’s a much difference experience because we’re the hunted over here and I was always hunting. I was always the guys chasing this team,’’ Crowder said. “Teams get up to play us, it’s like a Super Bowl for every team when we get to town. I can tell the true difference with the two different teams. Teams are out to get us, they are licking their chops when we come to town. I can definitely tell the difference in that.
“That’s one thing [James] told me, now you’ll see every team in the league get up for us. You’ve got to bring it every night. I’m thinking the night before how can I shut him down, so I could only imagine every day [dealing with that]. You think about shutting him down the night before and he still gets whatever he wants. He still gets his teammates involved. That’s special.’’
GAINING A NEW PERSPECTIVE
Thomas learned a lot while away
Isaiah Thomas lost the game he loved for a while and was forced to work feverishly to return to it. The Cavaliers guard, who made his season debut last week, opted against hip surgery and had to rehabilitate and strengthen the area. He said the hip is completely healthy after concerns the injury would affect his long-term career.
“The whole process has always been worth it because I just wanted to get back to playing basketball. Did I like the process? No, I hated sitting out, I hated having to be patient,’’ said Thomas, who was back at TD Garden last Wednesday but unable to face his former team because the Cavaliers didn’t want him to play on back-to-back days.
“Once I was able to do more and be more acclimated with the team and get out there and start warming up with the team, I knew that day was closer for me playing and [returning last Tuesday] was one of the most special moments for me in my career because I’ve never had to sit out for seven to eight months and know when I was going to play again.’’
Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said it will be good for Thomas to get his body reacclimated to the rigors of NBA play. On his second play in his return game, Thomas slid on the floor after being fouled by Portland’s Shabazz Napier.
“The hip has gotten a lot better, but [there are] still movements that I’m scared to do, like just because I’ve been out for so long. For the most part, when you get hurt, the mental side of things is the toughest part,’’ Thomas said. “My wind isn’t there, I’m not in that good of shape, obviously my game isn’t where I want it to be, but it showed a positive step in the right direction that I’m not far from where I want to be. I want to be MVP one day, so I know anyone that takes seven months off isn’t just going to walk in to being that, and I got a lot of work to do.
“I’m happy about the progress and I’m happy about everything that happened [last Tuesday].’’
The Cavaliers will attempt to slowly work Thomas into playing shape, but he is going to push for more minutes and fewer limitations. He’s been thrust into a championship situation and Cleveland is a veteran team that needs to take some pressure off LeBron James. Thomas could emerge as the team’s second option, immediately.
“I’m a scoring guard so I know how to put the ball in the basket. They traded for me for a reason and that was to play the game that I know how to play and that’s make plays, try to make the right play each and every time down and score the ball.
“And, I mean, those guys have welcomed me with open arms and they’ve always said even when we’re scrimmaging today, like, ‘Stop passing, man. Be you and be aggressive and look to score.’ So that always makes you feel comfortable that they want me to be who I am and that’s all I can be.’’
When asked if the injury encouraged him to treasure the game more and accept his basketball mortality, Thomas said those emotions weren’t necessary.
“I never took the game for granted. I was always one that just wanted to be the best I possibly could,’’ he said. “Get everything out of this game I possibly could. But, I mean, for being 28 years old and this being the first time I’ve ever been really hurt and had to sit down, it made you appreciate it even more and I definitely don’t take it for granted. This made me a better basketball player, a better person, mentally and physically. So, it should be something special in 2018.
“It’s been a long process for me. It’s been a frustrating and tough process, but at the same time you’ve got to trust it. Each and every day I just attacked it to try to get better, and now that day is here.’’
Thomas acknowledged the TD Garden crowd during a second-quarter stoppage last Wednesday, when he was shown on the video board. He has professed his love for the Celtics faithful and he has appreciated the patience and support from Cleveland fans since his August acquisition.
“It’s been positive. Positive feedback, positive love since I’ve been here,’’ Thomas said before his home debut. “Ever since I stepped foot in Cleveland it’s been all genuine love and it’s crazy because I haven’t even played yet. I haven’t even really put on the jersey so to continue to get that type of love when I haven’t really given the city anything but some workouts on my own. I’m just ready to put the grind forward and give the fans what they want to see and make this season something special.’’
He spent several months in arduous rehabilitation. He likely would have returned to action a week or so before the Cavaliers allowed him. But the good news is Thomas is finally healthy again.
The process of returning to peak form could take several weeks.
“I mean, my hip is better, but I have no rhythm. I have no feel for the game right now,’’ he said. “I’ve been out for so long it feels like I lost my powers. So even when we’re out there scrimmaging, I can move around and do what I want but I just don’t have my powers yet. So, with the games coming, it’s going to give me an opportunity to get my rhythm back, get my feel back. And it might take some time, but at the same time the progress that I’ve made is all good and positive progress and I’m excited about the opportunity to be able to get out there and compete.’’
While other NBA players sit out games because of back strains, general knee soreness, or just rest, Thomas played until his body wouldn’t allow it.
But during his rehabilitation, he studied the game.
“I’m a student of the game so I watch film probably more than anybody. I love the game of basketball,’’ he said. “I’m watching other teams, I’m watching film when I’m not even on the film and I’m watching each and every night just trying to see where I can fit it, trying to see what I can do as a guy on the bench just watching and the things I can help out with. So, like I said, I’m a student of the game and I try to get better at all aspects.’’
ETC.
Stars will be aligning soon
If All-Star voting were to end today, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant would be in charge of selecting the teams in this first-time format.
The leading vote-getters from each conference would serve as captains and pick their teams from the pool of All-Stars, regardless of conference affiliation.
Voting ends Jan. 15. The All-Star starters and two captains will be revealed Jan. 18.
Head coaches will still choose the reserves, but those players will drafted by the captains Jan. 25.
As of voting released Thursday, Celtics guard Kyrie Irving was third among Eastern Conference players (behind Antetokounmpo and LeBron James) and first among East guards.
The Celtics’ Al Horford was sixth and Jayson Tatum seventh among East frontcourt players, and Jaylen Brown was 10th among East guards.
The All-Star Game is Feb. 18 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Layups
Nerlens Noel is still a few weeks away from returning from injury but the Mavericks would like to get him back soon to showcase his skills before the Feb. 8 trade deadline. It’s highly unlikely that Noel will return to Dallas next season as an unrestricted free agent. Noel fell out of favor with the organization after he turned down a four-year, $70 million extension and settled for a one-year qualifying offer . . . The West Coast is not usually a place for struggling Eastern Conference teams to heal, but it has been a salve for the Charlotte Hornets and interim coach Stephen Silas. The Hornets pulled off perhaps the biggest upset of the season by winning at Golden State, 111-100, Dec. 29 as Dwight Howard went off for 29 points and 13 rebounds. It was Charlotte’s first win at Golden State in four years. After a loss at the Clippers, the Hornets coasted to a 20-point win in Sacramento. The Hornets held strong playoff hopes before the season but they have struggled mightily, especially on the road. Charlotte entered Friday 4½ games behind Indiana for the final playoff spot in the East . . . Bulls guard Kris Dunn is having a breakout season after a tough rookie year with the Timberwolves. What has surprised coach Fred Hoiberg about Dunn is his ability to hit the midrange shot. Dunn is still struggling with his 3-point shot, but he has earned more playing time by becoming a perimeter threat.
Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @GwashburnGlobe. Material from interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.
