Derrick Jones Jr. says his defense on LeBron James was great and that the Lakers star was just acting like he wasn’t bothered by it.
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The Portland TrailBlazers faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers last night. The Blazers took advantage of the Lakers being on the tail end of a back-to-back and handed them their second loss of the season.
The Blazers won 115-107, with Damian Lillard and Gary Trent Jr. paving the way for the Blazers on offense, dropping 31 and 28 respectively. 5 players for the Blazers scored in double digits, while 3 of those five recorded double-doubles. Derrick Jones Jr. made headlines last night, as he was all over social media for his emphatic blocks on LeBron James’s shot attempts.
The Lakers on the other hand, looked quite lax in their play. Sloppy turnovers were the Lakers’ undoing in last night’s game.
Derricks Jones Jr. takes shots at LeBron James
LeBron James was Derrick Jones Jr’s defensive assignment last night. He did a decent enough job as he was good at rejecting switches, and stayed with James for a majority of the game.
However, the highlights came when Jones Jr. decided to turn on Airplane Mode and go for two thunderous blocks on the reigning Finals MVP. When asked about his defense on LeBron, Jones Jr, said,
“I guess he’s a great actor. He don’t show it. He play the world.”
The 23 year old was convinced that his pesky defense on James annoyed him. Jones Jr. also had another highlight worthy two handed block on James in the 4th quarter. Unfortunately, this was ruled as a foul and sent LeBron to the charity stripe.
Derrick Jones Jr.’s role in RipCity
The Derrick Jones Jr. acquisition by the Blazers was an, under-the-radar, good signing. His above the rim play, coupled with his length and lateral quickness on the defensive end of the floor make him a desirable wing in today’s league.
He’s at best, a streaky shooter from beyond the arc, but has shown slight improvements. Overall, he is a great body to throw onto the opposing team’s superstar to help slow him down.
