Jones has one of the toughest jobs in this playoff series

The Dallas Maverick with one of the toughest jobs in this playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers is forward Derrick Jones Jr.

One minute Jones may be asked to guard Kawhi Leonard. The next minute he’s guarding Paul George. A few seconds later he’s trying to put the defensive clamps on James Harden. And then he’s trying to contain Russell Westbrook.

Officially, all four of those players will more than likely one day have a statue reserved for them in the Hall of Fame. That’s why when Jones punches the time clock to go to work on game day, he knows he is in for a long night.

“They’re great future hall of famers,” Jones said following Thursday’s practice session. “You’ve got to lock into their tendencies and know what they like to do.

“They’ve been playing the game a long time. I’ve been watching them since before I was in the league, and ever since I got to the league I’ve always been watching their game.”

Ironically, Jones doesn’t see his assignment of trying to contain the Clippers’ four stars as a thankless job. He knows he has some high-level defensive skills, and views this as a chance to test those skills.

“It’s a great opportunity to go out there and play against them,” Jones said.  “And like I said before, they’re human, they’re a man just like me.

“They put their pants on one leg at a time just like me. I fear no man. I have no fear in my heart for no one.”

Leonard, George, Harden and Westbrook combined to convert just 22-of-54 field goals in Game 2 on Tuesday for 40.7 percent. That includes the foursome making only 5-of-23 buckets from beyond the three-point arc for a mere 21.7 percent.

“I thought D-Jones did a great job of making it tough,” coach Jason Kidd said. “That’s all you can do when you talk about PG, Kawhi, Harden and Westbrook. Those guys are really good.

“They’ve seen everything. All you can (do is) try to make it as tough as possible. Don’t give them any easy or freebies, because if you do their confidence starts to grow.”

Jones said while most players around the NBA are more interested in scoring, his confidence started to grow as a hard-core defender when he was a kid in Pennsylvania.

“I grew up in a neighborhood where not all the kids were as big as me at my age, so I always played up (against older kids),” Jones said. “I always played against my older brother and my older cousins and my brother’s friends and my cousins’ friends. So, it was like either I guard and be able to score the ball, or I don’t play.”

By all accounts, Jones held his own.

“I guess I can say I started young learning how to play defense the proper way and how to be physical on defense,” he said. “The things that I needed to do to take my game to the next level every year, my brother and my cousins helped me when I was younger.

“As I got older, I got more athletic, and my game got a little bit smoother for me and defense came a lot easier for me.”

Center Daniel Gafford describes Jones as “the trump card” to what the Mavs are trying to accomplish on defense.

“When he comes out he puts his body on the line and he puts everything on the line when it comes to guarding the best player on the floor,” Gafford said. “From guarding (Golden State Warriors’ future Hall of Fame guard) Stephen Curry to guarding anybody else, at the end of the day he puts it all on the line.

“From the talks that I’ve had with him off the court, he was just saying how he’s expected to have that certain standard when it comes to the defensive end, and he most definitely upholds that standard on a night-to-night basis. I feel like he’s more consistent (than) a lot of guys in the league when it comes to the defensive end. I’ll give him his props, because it’s tough to do that.”

Even though Jones has made a reputation as a fearless defender, he’s ineligible to receive any of the NBA’s all-defensive team honors. Players are required to play at least 20 minutes in each of at least 62 games to qualify for all-defense, and Jones only played in 48 such games.

Jones had 10 other games where he played between 18 minutes and 19:58, and he actually played in 76 total games and averaged 23.5 minutes on the season.

“I played 70-plus games,” Jones said. “For me not to be eligible is crazy. But it is what it is.

“I ain’t really tripping on it. I know next year I’m going to get it – if not second (team) or first (team). You always got next year.”

In the meantime, as the Mavs prepare to host Game 3 of this best-of-seven series against the Clippers on Friday at 7 p.m., Jones has received a lot of love from his teammates with his ability to stick his nose squarely in the middle of things and become a nuisance on defense.

“Obviously, he plays with a lot of energy on both sides of the court,” center Maxi Kleber said. “He makes smart decisions.

“He has the challenge every night of defending the best guys on their team, so (he’s) setting the tone (with his) physicality.”

And that tone-setting by Jones is one of the reasons this best-of-seven series is tied at 1-1.

“He’s been stopping guys a lot,” point guard Luka Dončić said. “And he’s been shooting very well, so his impact is very important to us.”

Jones returned the favor by saying Dončić has had a sure-fire impact on the defensive end of the court for the Mavs, in addition to his splendid performances on the offensive end of the floor.

“You can’t just say somebody isn’t a good defender because somebody’s gotten by them when they’re playing defense,” Jones said. “It’s happened to me plenty of times, and I know for sure that I’m a great defender.

“Luka has been doing great all year long, and I hope he keeps it going. I’ve been saying it all year long — Luka has always taken the challenge. People have always said that he’s not good defensively, but I haven’t seen that at all. Yeah, he has lapses. I’ve had lapses too, and players have gotten by me as well.”

From an offensive standpoint, Jones has gotten by some players as well. He opened Game 2 with a put-back dunk — giving the Mavs their first lead of this series – and finished with 10 points and seven boards.

“I think he’s doing a great job,” Kleber said. “Obviously, he’s attacking the rim and shooting the shots that he’s got to shoot. And just being there with his athleticism helps us a lot.”

Jones was somewhat apologetic for the way he played in Game 1 of this series, which the Mavs lost, 109-97.

“I feel like the first game I wasn’t as aggressive,” he said. “I feel like I was a little timid. Even on-ball defensively, I felt like I was a little reserved.

“So, in Game 2, I just made sure I stepped it up a little bit. Whenever somebody was picking up full court, whenever my man was picking up full court, I was up there with him and just trying to make it a nasty game. That’s what I like.”

 

X: @DwainPrice