OKLAHOMA CITY – Derrick Jones Jr. doesn’t sleep very well whenever the Dallas Mavericks lose a game. But he probably slept very, very soundly on Wednesday night after he played a pivotal role in the Mavs’ 104-92 gut-check win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center.
Jones poured in a playoff career-high 19 points, including 10 in the first quarter after P.J. Washington was charged with his second foul less than four minutes into the game. Those tone-setting points by Jones helped the Mavs stay afloat after the Thunder jumped out to an 8-2 lead.
“P.J.’s been playing great and got the two fouls,” coach Jason Kidd said. “But what makes this team special is the next man up, and I thought D-Jones did a great job of taking up the offensive space for us.
“His defense has been great for us all season. That didn’t change. But his offense — once P.J. left — he shot the ball very well and picked up the slack.”
By halftime, Jones had already tossed in 15 points and had buried all six of his field goals, including going three-for-three from three-point range. In essence, he was in a zone and was loving every minute of it.
“It’s always good seeing the ball go through (the basket),” Jones said. “I’ve always said I’m going to take the shots that I get no matter what. I’m not going to pass up on nothing.
“For me, I’m going to take whatever I get. I get in that little short pocket and if they don’t step up, I’m going to take a floater – a little jump shot. But if they step up I’m going to drop it off to my big man.”
Jones, however, was not just a major factor on the offensive end of the floor. Known for his tenacious defense, he also produced one of the signature defensive plays of the game.
As the Thunder quickly chopped an 18-point deficit down to 97-86, OKC center Chet Holmgren soared in the air to attempt a three-point shot. But Jones flew from the rafters and amazingly blocked the shot.
Luka Dončić then snatched the rebound and flung it ahead up the court to Jones, who promptly dunked it and gave the Mavs a 99-86 lead with 2:01 remaining in Game 5 of this series.
“I’ve still got my game on the defensive end,” Jones said. “I try to lock up and do everything that I can defensively.
“And offensively, my game is going to be what it is. If you leave me open, I’m not afraid to take any shots. I’m not afraid to drive the ball.”
Dončić was thoroughly impressed with the way Jones – he finished two passes from the Mavs’ point guard and turned them into alley-oop dunks – can fly seemingly like a bird.
“D-Jones is out of this world the way he jumps,” Dončić said. “It’s just insane.
“I’ve never saw something like that. But he was knocking down threes, too, so he’s a complete player.”
Jones also knocked down a pair of free throws with 50.1 seconds which all but sealed this game and gave the Mavs a 101-90 lead and ultimately a 3-2 lead in this best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.
“He was aggressive,” Kidd said. “He was making shots — the deep three. (He was) being able to get to the basket (and) playmaking for the bigs.
“And he did a good job of taking care of the ball. His intent was to get to the basket and score, and he did that at a high level.”
Jones also knew before the game started that Dončić was going to come out and play at a high level.
“I saw him in warmups,” Jones said. “He came out a little earlier and he was knocking down the shots. I was just sitting back saying, ‘It’s going to be a long day for them.’
“I’ve always been harping that 77 is amazing. Once he gets his rhythm — and he got it going — it’s tough to stop him.”
Dončić finished the game with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, and was 12-of-22 from the floor, including 5-of-11 from downtown. Meantime, Jones was 7-of-9 from the field and converted three of his five shots from beyond the three-point line.
Jones also noticed the joy Dončić was playing with, and that he wasn’t having as much interaction with the referees as he normally does. In the eyes of Jones, it was as if Dončić was standing on business, especially since the Mavs blew a 14-point lead and dropped Game 4 at home this past Monday.
“It’s not just joy in him,” Jones said. “Everybody out there – all five of us out there on the floor together and guys that’s on the bench celebrating for us — we all have joy out there. Nobody likes losing.
“We let (Game 4) slip (away). It obviously we’re going to have a sour taste in our mouth, so we’re not going to like that. We’re not going to be smiling a lot. But you’re having fun when you’re playing the game the right way and we’re getting our wins. So, it’s obvious everybody is going to be happy and smiling.”
The Mavs will be happy and smiling even more if they can close out this series against OKC at home on Saturday. Game 6 tips off at 7 p.m. at American Airlines Center, and Jones knows the place will be rocking.
“We just got to go home and protect home,” Jones said. “That’s how it’s been all season. Any time we play at home we try to protect home (and) we try to do everything that we can to get the wins at home.
“It’s a fun game for us. We go out there and we smile and we have fun and we just try to get the win.”
X: @DwainPrice
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