Professional career
A journeyman throughout his career, Jones never played for the same team for more than one season except for 2005–2008, when he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his career, he played for ten different teams.
Jones was most notable for his ability to make three-point field goals. In fact, three-point attempts made up the majority of his field goal attempts because his role was often to wait on the outside while teammates such as Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, or LeBron James forced double teams. Jones was supremely confident of his shot, once proclaiming that he is "the best shooter in the world." [1]
2004–2005
Prior to the 2004–2005 season, Jones signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Miami Heat. Jones then proceeded to have the best statistical season of his career, setting career highs in games started (66), minutes played (2,576), field goals made (331) and attempted (726), field goal percentage (45.6%), three-point field goals made (225) and attempted (521), three-point field goal percentage (43.2%), free throws made (68) and attempted (86), rebounds (231), steals (44), blocked shots (5) and points scored (955). [3] His 225 three-point field goals made was third best in the NBA (and at the time, tied with Mitch Richmond for the ninth most ever in an NBA season) and his three-point field goal percentage was fifth best that season. [4]
Jones had a career-high 31 points on February 16, 2005, against the Los Angeles Clippers and scored in double figures on 48 occasions. He also had his only game with two blocked shots on March 10, 2005, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jones grabbed a career-high eight rebounds on November 6, 2004, against the Washington Wizards, a mark he tied on February 22, 2005, against the Chicago Bulls. [5]
In 15 playoff games, Jones averaged 12.1 points and 4.0 assists, and shot 42.9% from three-point range. [3] He had a career playoff high of 30 points with seven three-point field goals made in Miami's first game of the first round against the New Jersey Nets. Jones scored in double digits during 10 of Miami's 15 playoff games. [5]
Cleveland Cavaliers: 2005–2008
Jones departed the Heat to sign a four-year contract worth a reported $16.1 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers on September 8, 2005. [6] In 82 games played (seven starts) during the 2005–06 regular season, Jones averaged 6.7 points and 2.1 assists per game. He shot 37.7% from three-point range. [3] On November 13, 2006, he had a season-high 22 points on a season-high 5 three-point field goals. Jones hit five three-point field goals on four other occasions. [7] On March 8, 2006, Jones hit a game-winning three-point field goal as time expired in a 98–97 victory against the Toronto Raptors. [4]
In the 2006 NBA Playoffs, Jones played in 13 games, averaged 1.8 points and hit 27.8% of his three-pointers. [3] He had a playoff high 8 points in a game four Eastern Conference Semifinal win against the Detroit Pistons. [7]
On May 5, 2006, Jones came off the bench late in Game 6 of the Cavs' Eastern Conference first-round series against the Washington Wizards. In his first minute of the game action, in overtime, he hit the game-winning shot to clinch the series four games to two, and sent the Cavs into the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1993. [8]
In 60 games played during the 2006–2007 regular season, Jones averaged 6.6 points and 1.6 assists per game. He shot 38.5% from three-point range. [3] On November 13, 2006, he had a season-high 29 points on a season-high 7 three-point field goals. [9]
Jones was selected to participate in the Three-Point Shootout during the 2007 All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jones finished in fifth place.
In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, Jones played in 11 games, averaged 2.4 points and hit 31.8% of his three-pointers. [3] He had a playoff high 9 points on three three-point field goals in a game one NBA Final loss to the San Antonio Spurs. [9]
Jones played in 68 regular season games (three starts) for the Cavaliers. He averaged 6.4 points and 1.9 assists and shot 41.7% from three-point range. Jones had a season-high 27 points on a season-high seven three-point field goals [10] in a February 22, 2008, short-handed Cavs victory over the Washington Wizards. [11]
In five playoff games, Jones scored six total points and dished one assist.
On December 28, 2007, it was revealed that the Cavaliers fined Jones and Ira Newble an undisclosed amount of money for refusing to come off the bench during the final minute of their Christmas Day win over the Miami Heat. [12]
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The 2006–07 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 37th season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. Led by 22-year old forward LeBron James, the Cavaliers finished the season with a 50–32 record, finishing second-place in the Central Division, winning their first Eastern Conference championship, and earning the franchise's first trip to the NBA Finals. During the season, the Cavaliers had the fourth best team defensive rating in the NBA.
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