<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Although he has yet to play in a regular season NBA game, Bobby Jones already has acquired a bit of knowledge that takes many veterans years to learn. Jones, who hails from Compton, Calif., was in high school when the Sixers met the Lakers in the 2001 NBA Finals. Despite being a Lakers fan, he could appreciate what those Sixers brought to the game. "They had George Lynch, (Raja) Bell, Tyrone Hill. See, they just had some hard-nosed construction workers on that team," Jones said. "You have a bunch of dudes that just want to work hard and not care who gets the credit. At the end, everybody's going to get credit. This team knows that, too." Jones certainly does, at any rate. After all, it wasn't his offensive skill that drew the Sixers' attention on draft night when they acquired the 6-foot-7 forward from Minnesota for a second-round pick in next June's draft. For Jones, defense is the name of the game. "That's my bread and butter," he said Monday after the Sixers practiced at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. "That's the reason why they went out of their way to draft me and trade to get me. I feel like they want me here. I'm not here just to do somebody a favor. "As the season goes, (Maurice Cheeks is) going to need somebody to come off the bench and bring that intensity and energy and to come out and shut down the other team's best player. That's what I thrive on. I'm doing it the best I can in practice. I'm just living for the moment, having a good time. "In college, I was more just run anywhere, double-team anybody -- just create havoc. Now, here, it's more organized, more schemes. I'm starting to get that down. It's all still the same, it's all basketball: keep your man in front, boxing out, all the little things. That's what I do best. As time goes, he'll realize that and get me in there." Jones has seen little playing time in the preseason. Against New Jersey on Friday night, he played just 6 minutes, 38 seconds, but had two points, a rebound and a steal. Cheeks said he might give Jones more time either tonight when the Sixers play New York in Madison Square Garden or Wednesday when they conclude their preseason with a game at home against the Nets. "He hasn't had a lot of opportunities to get out on the floor," Cheeks said. "I think the times he's gotten out on the floor he's been good. He's a very conscientious, defensive-minded guy, and I think the next couple games we're gonna try to get him a little more time on the floor. I think he's tried; he just hasn't had a lot of opportunities to get out on the floor." The lack of playing time is perhaps one of the hardest transitions for NBA rookies to make. In college, they were usually stars and saw major minutes in every game. "It's hard," Jones said. "At the same time, that's life. I mean, I could be in a worse situation than this. I keep it positive. At the end of the day, I'm in a great position right now. A lot of people aren't in my shoes." But Jones isn't resigned to riding the bench all season. At some point, he said, he fully expects his defensive skills to earn him minutes. Given the Sixers' problems in that area in recent years, he could be right. An NBA season is long. Injuries happen, players slump, coaches change lineups. Jones is telling himself to be ready. "I just got to stay positive and stay antsy on that bench and just play every game like I'm going to get in, even if I didn't get in for two months," he said. "As soon as you start thinking you're not going to get in, bam, you're in there. Then you're going to be all nervous." Jones is unlikely to be a star in the NBA. But like Lynch and Hill before him, he knows that what he can do on the court has value. "Whatever the situation -- if somebody needs to go rebound or be the assist man, I'm willing to adapt and do all the little things from game to game to help the team win," he said. "I don't care about getting acclaim and the spotlight because if I do what I do best, it's going to happen eventually." </div> Link
I've got to think he'll make the Sixers and keep a job. He's been a great defensive player all throug his college career, and who can't use a long, versatile defender like him on their bench? He could end up a useful player in the long term; his defense will get him minutes while his offense develops. I think he's a serious sleeper to be a helpful rookie.
<div class="quote_poster">Schaddy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I've got to think he'll make the Sixers and keep a job. He's been a great defensive player all throug his college career, and who can't use a long, versatile defender like him on their bench? He could end up a useful player in the long term; his defense will get him minutes while his offense develops. I think he's a serious sleeper to be a helpful rookie.</div> There is no doubt in my mind that he makes the roster. The guy is very talented and a terrific defensive player. My only concern is how much time he will receive on the court. With the amount of guards we have on this roster, I doubt he will be able to receive the right amount of playing time to fully showcase his skills
Hopefully he can play like a previous Sixer with the same name. Yeah I know Im going OLD SCHOOL with that post
