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Jazz's Crowder: 'I got back to having fun' following trade from Cavs

Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Jae Crowder wasn't having fun with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he is now.

After being traded to the Utah Jazz hours before Thursday's deadline, the small forward had a strong debut Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers and suggested he prefers his new team.

"I got back to having fun playing basketball with a great group of guys," Crowder said in his walk-off interview after registering 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, and a steal off the bench in the 115-96 win in Portland.

Crowder, who broke out in almost three seasons with the Boston Celtics as a solid three-and-D player, struggled to replicate that success this year in Cleveland.

TEAM G M FG% 3FG% REB AST STL PTS
Celtics 202 29.8 44.4 35.3 5.2 1.8 1.3 12.8
Cavaliers 53 25.4 41.8 3.8 3.3 1.1 0.8 8.6

The 27-year-old forward expects to bounce back with the Jazz thanks to coach Quin Snyder's more structured system.

"We're playing off one another. Once I get better with these guys, it should be better," Crowder said following the team's ninth straight victory.

"We're playing free - Coach gives a lot of freedom to these guys, some structure but a lot of freedom, and I love it. I love playing within a system. It'll be fun."

The Cavs seem better off, too, as they blew out the Celtics 121-99 on Sunday in their first outing with their four new players.

- With h/t to Bleacher Report

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