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Mavs' Derrick Jones Jr. on Hot Start to Season: 'Just Be Who I Am'

Originally posted on FanNation Dallas Basketball
By Michael Mulford  |  Last updated 11/12/23

On Friday night, the Dallas Mavericks dominated the Los Angeles Clippers at home in a 144-126 onslaught. 

Dallas blitzed the Clippers in the second quarter, outscoring them 47-18 to fully take control of the game while keeping their foot on the gas the remainder of the night.

One huge contributor to the Mavs' dominant win was veteran Derrick Jones Jr., who finished the game with 11 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and three steals with a game-high +36 plus/minus while being on the floor, including being a part of Dallas' 35-4 run in the second quarter.

"Getting stops and scoring the ball a lot. Once you have Luka [Doncic] coming down and getting in a rhythm, he was scoring a lot. Then Kai [Kyrie Irving] got in his rhythm, and it’s going to be hard to stop him too," Jones Jr. said. "When we got those two guys in rhythm and were playing defense how we were tonight, it's going to be a good game for us."

For Jones Jr., who signed a one-year deal with the Mavs this offseason, making this his fifth team in his eight-year career, has been sort of a revelation for Jason Kidd and the Mavericks so far this season as once the veteran joined the team, not many though he'd become a starter on day one of the season. 

Through nine games, Jones Jr. is averaging a career-high 9.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting a career-high 37.1 percent from downtown on just under four attempts per game.

"My teammates, coaching staff, just everyone around me telling me to bring my game and be who I am. Just gotta keep going," Jones Jr. said.

If Jones Jr. can continue his positive impact on the Mavs on both ends of the floor, Dallas' starting lineup should be in a good spot going forward.

This article first appeared on FanNation Dallas Basketball and was syndicated with permission.

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