In the third quarter Tuesday against the Mavericks, Dahntay Jones twisted Erick Dampier like a turnstile, while Jones bulldozed past him from the right corner into the open paint. Dampier couldn’t keep up until, finally, he was under the basket, just in time to watch Jones dangling from the rim, post-dunk.
While Nuggets coach George Karl implores other guards to drive to the basket more often, he doesn’t have to worry about Jones.
“I think sometimes he takes on too many guys,” Karl said. “But he’s pretty good against 1 1/2 or two.”
Jones’ offensive zeitgeist has been welcomed this season, because it sets the tone and, frankly, he’s not in there for his offense.
The starting guard has been an absolute delight for Karl, providing “a first-class defensive effort. . . . I think right now, we feel like we hit oil.”
Jones signed with Denver in the summer for about $1 million, and Karl smiled Wednesday when asked if Jones was one of the NBA’s best bargains.
This season, it is clear Denver’s success is because of chemistry, be it Karl and his players bonding in training camp, Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin sporting sunny attitudes, Nene being healthy and productive, or Chauncey Billups providing championship leadership. But don’t forget Jones, who starts every night on the opposition’s top guard and just attacks and attacks — offensively and defensively — for 20 furious minutes.
“My approach to the game is a defensive mind-set, first and foremost,” Jones said.
But offensively Tuesday, he scored a season-high 16 points, and tonight he’ll face Phoenix in a chip-on-shoulder game, following his paltry two- point effort against the Suns on Dec. 20. Defensively he will guard Steve Nash or Jason Richardson, the latter whom Dallas coach Rick Carlisle called “dynamic” and Karl called “one of the best 3-point shooters in the game.” The Suns are 9-3 since acquiring Richardson in December.
The next step for Jones is developing his jump shot. He shoots mighty well at practice. In the game, well, “if it’s there,” he said, “it’s there.”
Karl said he has talked with Jones about picking spots to shoot the jumper, which could be a Catch-22 because if Jones misses a couple of jumpers, he could be on the bench sooner.
“He’s put in time, and I think he’s got to pick and choose his opportunities to shoot in the game,” Karl said. “I probably wouldn’t recommend it in the fourth quarter. But I think he’s got to start evolving into taking that chance.”
