Mavericks' Derrick Jones Jr. Welcomes Challenge of Guarding Clippers' Stars: 'I Fear No Man'
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The transformation the Dallas Mavericks have experienced on the defensive end of the floor has been a dramatic night-and-day difference from what they had to work with last season.
Not only did the Mavs go out and upgrade their center position with the additions of rookie big man Dereck Lively II and fifth-year veteran Daniel Gafford, but they also beefed up their wing depth by trading for P.J. Washington and signing Dante Exum and Derrick Jones Jr. from the NBA free agency bargain bin last summer.
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Jones, a player the Mavs have loved from a distance for years, has met and exceeded expectations after signing a one-year contract in August of last year. The 27-year-old forward averaged a career-high 8.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 76 regular-season games. He shot a career-high 34.3 percent from deep, and he also spent a large amount of time guarding opponents' best players.
That hasn't changed in the Mavs' first-round series against the LA Clippers, as Jones has been asked to guard future Hall of Famers Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden at times. The high status of those star players doesn't faze Jones, though, and he's up for the challenge as the series progresses.
“They’re future Hall of Famers," Jones said of the Clippers' stars. "Got to lock into their tendencies. I fear no man. I go out there, and I have no fear in my heart for no one.”
Not only has Jones' defense contributed to the Mavs morphing into an elite defensive team over the last two months, but it has also helped make things a little easier for Luka Doncic on that end of the floor. Being around better defenders has brought out a higher level of defensive intensity from Doncic, and Jones believes that his star teammate will continue rising to the occasion this postseason.
“I’ve been saying it all year long, Luka is always taking a challenge," Jones said. "People have always said that he’s not good defensively, but I haven’t seen it at all this year. You can’t just say that somebody isn’t a good defender because somebody got by him. Luka’s been doing great all year long and I hope he keeps it going.”
Given his importance on the floor, paired with the fact that he's become one of Doncic and Kyrie Irving's favorite teammates, it's not hard to envision the Mavs finding a way to re-sign him to a long-term deal in free agency this summer. Jones will surely command a pay raise from his $3.3 million veteran's minimum contract, and at the very least, Dallas will have the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception to offer Jones, which could nearly double what he made this season.
In the meantime, Jones' focus remains on doing the dirty work for the Mavs as they try to reach their ultimate goal of winning a championship. After tying their series with the Clippers at 1-1 on Tuesday night, the Mavs return to Dallas for Games 3 and 4 hoping to take a commanding lead before returning to Los Angeles for Game 5.
