On 14 of 14 shots, paul once again played supernaturally, and the Suns successfully defeated the Pelicans 4-2 and narrowed the first round. Although they were not able to stage the Black Eight miracle in the end, the Pelicans have played well enough this season, and the youngsters are starting to shine.
Looking at the entire Pelicans, whether it is ingram, which is becoming more and more stable, or the well-known old sixth who constantly steals the ball, they have shown very good game strength in the game, and the player we want to mention today also shined in the playoffs this season, this person is Herbert Jones.
Successfully anticipating the Suns' serve and completing the steal, directly causing Paul's defensive foul in the attack, may be the highlight of these days that fans are talking about, in fact, this ball is just a microcosm of Jones's defensive end this season, and the defensive ability he has contributed is by no means a full summary of this one shot.
Let's walk into this little-known "defensive expert"!
Template chasing dreams of Green, defensive talent
Jones studied at the University of Alabama during college, and compared to the famous football in the United States, there is really not much superiority in school basketball, and the NBA stars cultivated by the school are even fewer. Jones played in the NCAA League with the team in his senior year, averaging 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 27.3 points per game.
Jones at that time had already shown his good talent on the defensive end, with excellent arm span and control of the game situation, making him a very good defender in the backcourt, and he managed to win the best defender in his division.
In Jones's scouting report, there is a passage that he is an elite-level defensive player with a very clear mind, able to fully read the game and predict the opponent's movements. And Jones is a swing man from the front and can contribute great defensively in any position.
At that time, his template player was to watch the defensive start to achieve the dream of green, which is the best recognition of Jones' defensive ability, after all, Green's defense in the NBA is a existence that makes many superstar players feel frightened.
Join the Youth Army and show off your defensive talents
In the 2021 draft, Jones was selected by the Pelicans with the 5th pick in the second round. Coming to this team full of young people is undoubtedly a blessing for Jones. Because the team is in the stage of reconstruction, even a rookie will be trusted by the manager, allowing him to get more playing time, and the experience of playing is a very valuable opportunity for a rookie.
Jones showed his personal ability on the defensive end in his first season, and fighting fiercely is one of his biggest personal characteristics. As a result, he did not have a low number of fouls in each game, averaging 3.05 fouls per game.
In the first round of the playoffs against the Suns, he became a very important top soldier on the defensive end, and keeping an eye on Paul became a very important task for him. Despite facing the league's superstar, Jones has no fear at all, and on the defensive end he is fully able to use his height and arm span to interfere with Paul's combination or choice of shooting.
Under the almost crazy confrontation between him and his teammates, Paul was seriously inaccurate in both games, although in the end it was still unable to prevent Paul's outbreak in the sixth game, but for a first-year player, the experience and experience of defending Paul will become the most important development boost in future games.
Raise the outside projection and he'll be the next Bridges
Be able to have excellent defensive ability, even in the league where small balls are the most important technology today. Especially when it comes to the playoffs, a strong defense always makes the players brilliant enough. Bridges relied on his individual defensive ability and gradually became an important part of the Sun.
In fact, looking at Jones and Bridges' various physical reports and on-field performances, it is not difficult to find that the two have a high degree of similarity in many aspects.
First, Bridges is 1.98 meters tall and has an arm span of 2.18 meters. Jones is 2.01 meters tall and has an arm span of 2.14 meters. Both are long-handed monsters that many people in the league have a headache, and this arm span ability can always give the two a greater defensive range in the game.
Second, the contributions and features made by the two men in defense are very similar. Both are the kind of players who can achieve single defense in any position, with excellent physical fitness and arm span, so that they will not be left behind even when facing center players. This kind of player who can make up for the position at any time, change positions at any time to defend, is obviously a very treasure-like existence of the team. And both are fully committed in defense, and every ball is trying their best to fight for.
What Jones lacks compared to Bridges at the moment is a stable performance on the offensive end. Bridges' defensive ability is at the top of the league, but it is also a sharp weapon on the offensive end. In the fifth game, when Paul encountered the full field of defense, it was Bridges' super projection ability to shoot through the Pelicans, allowing the Suns to get the key Battle of King's Mountain. It can be said that such a 3D player will definitely become a player who is valued by the team in any era.
What Jones lacks at the moment is a steady shooting ability, his three-point shooting rate in college is only 28%, and the instability of the outside line is one of the disadvantages mentioned in the scouting report.
Jones shot 33.7 percent from three-point range this season and contributed 9.5 points per game. But for Jones, who has only been working in the NBA for one season, he has a very bright future. As long as he improves his offensive ability and maintains stability on the basis of ensuring his existing defensive ability, he is bound to become an important core player of the Pelicans.