Celtics' Crowder to practice this week, hopes to return Friday

Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder is expected to return to practice Wednesday and hopes to play Friday against the Golden State Warriors, coach Brad Stevens told reporters.

The Celtics are in the midst of a west coast swing, with games against the Los Angeles Clippers Monday, the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday, and the Warriors in Oakland Friday on the second night of a back-to-back.

Crowder has been out since suffering a high ankle sprain in a March 11 loss to the Houston Rockets. Boston is 4-3 so far since the scrappy forward went down. He ranks third on the team in scoring and rebounding, and is a key perimeter threat with 3-point accuracy just under 35 percent.

The Celtics are in a dogfight for third in the East, with a game-and-a-half separating themselves, the Atlanta Hawks, the Miami Heat, and the Charlotte Hornets going into Monday's action.