Since the start of his career in 2016, Derrick Jones Jr. has never finished a season with an average of six shots attempted per game.
For the Bulls, the last two years, he was even at only 3.7 shots per game. One last figure to illustrate this thinness: in 115 matches in Chicago, he only reached or exceeded ten shots attempted four times…
“I wasn't necessarily told not to shoot, but it was more of an insinuation that I do more pick-and-rolls. Regarding open shots, the ball didn't even reach me »explains the player at the Dallas site to explain his offensive timidity since his arrival in the NBA.
For his first year in Dallas, he averaged 7.3 attempts per game. So something special is happening in Texas for him. Besides his starting position, how does he explain it?
“This is probably one of the first times in my career that I have permission – not the green light – to take shots when I am open,” confirms Derrick Jones Jr. “Jason Kidd just tells me to play basketball. It's a simple sport. You don't have to complicate it. We are open, we take the shot. »
You have to skip your counters
The instructions are respected since with an average of 4.3 3-point shots attempted, the former Miami player explodes his counters. In 19 matches this season, he has already taken more winning shots than during the entire previous year (82 against 80) with Chicago…
“I didn't think I would have so many shots per game. I am happy “, he confides, before highlighting the impact of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on his game. “It's nice to have stars sharing the ball when they know they'll be caught two-up. They attract so much attention that my job becomes easy. I have shots, I take them and I put them. If they're layups, same thing. You just have to play fair. »
Result: he posted his career best points and 3-point averages, with 9.8 units per match and 41.5% success rate behind the arc. He has already compiled three matches with more than 20 points in six weeks of competition compared to two in seven seasons previously!
“I just have more confidence in my shooting and in my game. I play in a more liberated way”he concludes.
| Derrick Jones | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2016-17 | PHX | 32 | 17 | 56.2 | 27.3 | 70.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 5.3 |
| 2017-18 * | All Teams | 20 | 12 | 39.6 | 16.7 | 66.7 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 3.1 |
| 2017-18 * | MIA | 14 | 15 | 38.8 | 18.8 | 61.1 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 3.7 |
| 2017-18 * | PHX | 6 | 6 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 83.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.5 |
| 2018-19 | MIA | 60 | 19 | 49.4 | 30.8 | 60.7 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 7.0 |
| 2019-20 | MIA | 59 | 23 | 52.7 | 28.0 | 77.2 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 8.5 |
| 2020-21 | POR | 58 | 23 | 48.4 | 31.6 | 64.8 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 6.8 |
| 2021-22 | CHI | 51 | 18 | 53.8 | 32.8 | 80.0 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 5.6 |
| 2022-23 | CHI | 64 | 14 | 50.0 | 33.8 | 73.8 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 5.0 |
| 2023-24 | DAL | 19 | 23 | 48.6 | 41.5 | 76.0 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 9.8 |
| Total | 363 | 19 | 50.6 | 31.9 | 70.7 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 6.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
