Through the second half of the season, the Cavaliers bench was one of its many strong suits. But as the shorthanded Cavaliers locked into a do-or-die series with Chicago, they’ll need to be that much stronger.
One of those key reserves is James Jones, and in 113 career playoffs games – including two wins on the last night of the season – he’s seen it all. Like the rest of Cleveland’s bench, he struggled to score on Monday night against Chicago, but a true pro doesn’t panic. And the only games that really matter are the ones that happen essentially every other night until one of these two teams go fishing with Charles and Kenny.
A 12-year vet picked 48 spots behind LeBron in 2003, Jones made his first postseason with Indiana as a rookie. And the turning point of that series taught him something that he takes into every postseason.
”I wasn’t in the rotation; I was a rookie, just watching,” recalled Jones. “And I remember us really having an opportunity to take control of the series in Indiana and then Tayshaun Prince blocks Reggie Miller’s layup and it shifts all the momentum. I think at the time the series was 2-2 and we had a chance to go up, 3-2, going back to Detroit. It was my first action, my first experience in the playoffs, but I learned that one play can change the fate of an entire season.”
One play has certainly changed the Cavaliers season, and by several accounts, it wasn’t a “basketball play.” Either way, the Wine and Gold have been forced to start their next series without a pair of starters. But following last night’s 99-92 loss in the opener, Coach David Blatt shut down any grumbling going forward.
”No excuses,” said Blatt, bluntly. “We just didn’t’ start well enough and we just didn’t play well enough to win the game.”
Mike Miller got the start at small forward and Iman Shumpert, at shooting guard. James Jones – along with Tristan Thompson, Matthew Dellavedova and Shawn Marion – remained in their regular roles off the bench.
And even after a dozen years and triple-figure playoff games, Jones still gets nervous at the scorer’s table.
”I still get butterflies, I still get anxious,” admitted the former Academic All-American. “I’m doing what I love and this is the most exciting time of the year. It’s a time when you expect the atmosphere to be at its peak. We expect the coverage and the scrutiny to be at its peak. And that’s fun. When you play the game as long as NBA players have, these are moments you live for.”
Before the 2015 postseason tipped off, there was some question as to how Cleveland’s youngsters who hadn’t yet tasted the playoffs would react. But Kyrie posted a strong series against Boston and a 30-point Game 1 against Chicago. Tristan Thompson has lived by his hoops mantra – (“see ball, get ball”) – and Kevin Love was rock-solid before the unfortunate injury early in Game 4.
"(The young guys) have it pretty well together,” said Jones. “I just tell them to enjoy it; try to take advantage of the opportunity and the preparation that comes with it. The whole approach that you need to win in a do-or-die possession, game-type atmosphere – if you can take that mentality to the regular season, you can set yourself up for a very long, successful career. Because it takes that type of focus, day-in and day-out, to play, like some of the greats have – 17, 18 years.”
That concern about the young guns feeling the pressure has been alleviated. That’s been replaced by the concern that they’ll try to do too much with two starters out.
Long Distance Shooting ...
Jones does not share that concern.
”Well, we don't need them to do too much,” offered Jones. “We don’t need them to be forcing things, but we need them to be who they are – which are very good, multi-dimensional players. In the context of a team, you always have to fit your role or do what the team needs you to do. However, when pieces are out or circumstances present themselves, they need to be ready and willing to maximize it and step in and carry the load in a big way.”
“But they’re young and ambitious and that’s what they want to do, so they don’t have any constraints on their ability. We just want them to do it in the context of our offensive system. But we want them to be special and to carry us because that’s what we need them to do.”
Jones was one of the Cavs most efficient three-point marksmen over the course of the season. He shot 36 percent from beyond the arc, but that stat belies the importance of the treys he did sink – each seemingly a big shot during the season’s second-half renaissance. But the man who carried a 3.41 GPA through four years at “The U” gives himself a tough grade.
“If you ask me, I’m always a C,” smiled the south Florida native. “Because my philosophy is that there are a few things I could have done better. Just coming to a different situation, a different system, there’s always a learning curve. But I wish I would’ve been able to make more shots. I wish I would’ve been able to do a little bit more. But that’s the challenge for myself.”
Jones was a little easier on the squad as a whole.
“Overall, as a team, I’d say we had a tremendous season. Just because of so much what the end result is. So much of the end result is dictated by things behind the scene that you don’t see – the growth of the players and the coaches as a unit. I think overall we’ve had a good season. But I’ll reserve judgment on my final grade until after the playoffs.”
Jones has struggled through the playoffs so far. After canning a pair of big three-pointers in the Cavs series-opening win over Boston, Jones hasn’t connected since. He grabbed a pair of boards in eight uneventful minutes in last night’s loss to the Bulls.
But Jones and his teammates know better than anyone that a shooter has to keep his confidence. The team needs him to. And Jones knows for certain that in the playoffs, ONE moment -- one shot – can change the fate of an entire season.
Jones has traveled the Championship road before, and he understands its ups and downs. And he also understands what a team that’s been to the top looks like.
“When you get to this point in the playoffs, every team out there has that look and that capability,” concluded Jones. “So much of what happens is the result of one or two plays in a game. And one or two plays can have you looking like a champion and being a champion and one or two plays can have you going home in the first round. So we understand that, and I think that’s what our guys get. And since they have that grasp, then without a doubt, we’re built to be champions.”