So Long, James Jones

[kovanovich]

Jones showed some life in February (38.5% from three) as a combo forward that could provide spacing off the bench... but I finally understand why Spoe never used him in Miami. For years I wondered why a wing that could shoot it as well as Jones was buried on their bench, but this guy offers nothing defensively if he has to chase players around the perimeter.

His post defense is somehow worse; he can't body up even the frailest of bigs and his help defense is somewhere between a complete joke and nonexistent. Blatt uses him at power forward when Love isn't on the floor to maximize his shooting, but watching our interior defense turn to ashes with him there is painful to watch. Get well soon Matrix, there's some minutes waiting for you when you get back.

It will be tough because Marion's shooting has been so poor. He really needs to be able to hit the open corner 3 at a 35% clip to keep the defense honest. I agree though the Cavs could use Marion as a small ball 4 who can match up against athletic players like Josh Smith. Either that or the Cavs need to play big and force the other team to make adjustments.

In the Eastern Conference, of the teams that matter, I'm thinking Marion will be potentially useful against Atlanta (Millsap). Maybe against Patrick Patterson with Toronto.

 

[kookoo]

He actually didn't do the worst job defensively in the 4th. He's still a liability on that end, but if he can make 3s, he's a solid member of the team. My one issue is we need a paint protector when he's out there. Mozgov needs to be in with him.

 

[JFT]

James Jones has been really hitting the 3's the last several games. Shooting over 46% in last 7 games. Looks like he's now in the rotation, which I think adds nice depth at the end of this season and will be good in the playoffs when we need 3s.

 

[cavsfever]

He was really pretty crummy from deep for a while there, which is a huge problem when that's the main thing you offer. But he is shooting over 50% from 3 since the all-star break. If he can keep that up going into the playoffs he will be a weapon. Probably good that he is getting some PT during the regular season in terms of being prepared for the playoffs.

 

[Simmy]

Agreed, and I like that he can pick up 8-10 minutes here and there when the lead is in tact to keep that shooting rhythm consistent. He'll be handy in the Playoffs when we need some heat from deep and our starters are out of puff (which I assume may happen more than one).

 

[BimboColesHair]

Since re-entering the rotation for the Chicago game: 45.4% from 3, 44.7% from the floor, 6.8 ppg, 2 rpg in 16.7 mpg. I'll take that all year.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

He's one of the few guys who you can be somewhat confident in when coming in cold, tasked with taking two big shots in a game, and feeling like he's got a good chance to make them. I could see him swinging a playoff game. Not a constant role player, but he can be useful.

 

[Sean King 87]

Let's say we should be less worried about his offensive abilities than the defensive, when talking about the playoffs.

 

[Kypus]

He is doing exactly what we brought him here to do- distract the other team with shooting long enough to give our studs a break, and take him back out before teams realize he's not a PF.

Blatt loves that he can wake him up at 3AM and that shooting rhythm is never far off. Unless it's off.

 

[All4One1ForAll]

James Jones has been a welcome addition to our rotation. Almost forgot he existed lol. He comes in and splashes a couple threes a game for us.

 

[All4One1ForAll]

This guy is contributing lately! 4 threes today. He just comes in and gets buckets. Plus a lot of them have been down the stretch when we needed them recently.

 

[And1]

This guy is contributing lately! 4 threes today. He just comes in and gets buckets. Plus a lot of them have been down the stretch when we needed them recently.

Pretty impressive really , hope he can keep it up

 

[Kypus]

Let's say we should be less worried about his offensive abilities than the defensive, when talking about the playoffs.

WTF, why? No, the whole idea of having him come in and squeeze off 2 quick shots is to keep the other team off balance- there should be no time to counteract his obviously non-existent defense.

Blatt knows this, knows the game is changing to 1 big surrounded by 4 shooters, and is going to tire out/confuse some traditional PFs really quick in the playoffs- it could easily cost a team a game against us.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Don't look now, but unheralded James Jones currently has: the 2nd highest TS% on the team behind Mozgov, the 2nd highest Offensive Rating, 4th highest eFG%, 5th highest offensive box +/-, and the 6th highest WS/48 on the active team. Very small sample size compared to the rest of the rotation players, but its still nice to see him stepping up in light of Mike Miller being a huge letdown as a floor spacer.

 

[Randolphkeys]

The Cavaliers get their money's worth out of Jones. He has always been one of the best locker room guys in the league, and his jumpshot is pure. If you put him out there with the right combination of players who can penatrate into the teeth of the defense with a dribble drive, he gives a team a Steve Novak type presence. All that for the veterans minimum is pretty cool.

But when Waiters flopped as the dribble drive guy off the bench, the bench became redundant. Delly is going to keep the ball moving, but he shouldn't be initiating the pick and roll. Right now the only guys who initiate the pick and roll well are Kyrie and LBJ. That wasn't the original plan.

And the reason Jones has always relied on opponent's match ups for regular playing time is his porous defense and lack of physical presence in the paint.

But hey, veteran's minimum contract and he can help a playoff team out in the right situations. Can't complain.