cavs_playa23
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His 3-point shot just didn't feel right after the West Coast trip.
So Damon Jones showed up Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena to brush up on his specialty.
"To be a good shooter, you have to work on it," he said. "I came in and got up 400 or 500 shots."
The Cavaliers guard broke out of his mini-slump on Monday in a 90-79 loss to the Orlando Magic. Jones scored 16 points, which included a 4-for-9 performance from behind the arc. Suddenly, all is right with his world.
Jones, 31, regained some rhythm on his shot during Sunday's session.
"I've been doing it all year," he said. "But since the schedule was all jumbled up and we had several games bunched up in a few days, I used the games to try to get my rhythm. Not shooting particularly well for the last three games of that road trip, I didn't have that rhythm. Getting it back in the gym was something I had to do."
Jones left his 3-point shot in Sacramento on the West Coast trip. In the first three games, he made 9 of 18 shots from behind the arc (50 percent), as opposed to just 4 of 18 in the final four contests (22.2 percent).
It's never a good thing to lose one's rhythm for a player who makes his living by shooting the ball. Jones said some of the West teams were crowding him at the 3-point line, and he didn't get a lot of attempts in some of the games.
"The opportunities were scarce at times," he said. "I had two shot attempts against Golden State and two against Portland. It's something that happens in an 82-game season."
Jones has made two or more 3-point shots in eight of the last 10 games. He ranks 22nd in the NBA in 3-point accuracy (40.4 percent). Former Cavs castoff Jason Kapono leads the league at 54.4 percent.
Jones is averaging 8.2 points and 1.7 assists heading into tonight's game against Philadelphia at The Q.
When Jones is making his outside shots, the Cavaliers' offense runs more smoothly.
"It opens up the floor," Coach Mike Brown said. "When you're knocking down shots, it allows a guy like Eric (Snow) to get into the teeth of the defense for the drive-and-kick game. Not only that, it opens up the post-up game a little more."
Jones openly campaigned for a spot in the Long Distance Shootout during All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. He hasn't heard a peep from the league office.
"I'm still waiting," he said. "I don't know the criteria or the date when they are going to announce (who made the event). The last three years, I wanted to participate, I did a lot of talking about it. Now, I'm in a hush period. I'm not going to discuss it.
"But I'll tell you one thing: If I get accepted, I will win it."
So Damon Jones showed up Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena to brush up on his specialty.
"To be a good shooter, you have to work on it," he said. "I came in and got up 400 or 500 shots."
The Cavaliers guard broke out of his mini-slump on Monday in a 90-79 loss to the Orlando Magic. Jones scored 16 points, which included a 4-for-9 performance from behind the arc. Suddenly, all is right with his world.
Jones, 31, regained some rhythm on his shot during Sunday's session.
"I've been doing it all year," he said. "But since the schedule was all jumbled up and we had several games bunched up in a few days, I used the games to try to get my rhythm. Not shooting particularly well for the last three games of that road trip, I didn't have that rhythm. Getting it back in the gym was something I had to do."
Jones left his 3-point shot in Sacramento on the West Coast trip. In the first three games, he made 9 of 18 shots from behind the arc (50 percent), as opposed to just 4 of 18 in the final four contests (22.2 percent).
It's never a good thing to lose one's rhythm for a player who makes his living by shooting the ball. Jones said some of the West teams were crowding him at the 3-point line, and he didn't get a lot of attempts in some of the games.
"The opportunities were scarce at times," he said. "I had two shot attempts against Golden State and two against Portland. It's something that happens in an 82-game season."
Jones has made two or more 3-point shots in eight of the last 10 games. He ranks 22nd in the NBA in 3-point accuracy (40.4 percent). Former Cavs castoff Jason Kapono leads the league at 54.4 percent.
Jones is averaging 8.2 points and 1.7 assists heading into tonight's game against Philadelphia at The Q.
When Jones is making his outside shots, the Cavaliers' offense runs more smoothly.
"It opens up the floor," Coach Mike Brown said. "When you're knocking down shots, it allows a guy like Eric (Snow) to get into the teeth of the defense for the drive-and-kick game. Not only that, it opens up the post-up game a little more."
Jones openly campaigned for a spot in the Long Distance Shootout during All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. He hasn't heard a peep from the league office.
"I'm still waiting," he said. "I don't know the criteria or the date when they are going to announce (who made the event). The last three years, I wanted to participate, I did a lot of talking about it. Now, I'm in a hush period. I'm not going to discuss it.
"But I'll tell you one thing: If I get accepted, I will win it."
