NBA Blue Devil Stepping Up Game Alongside No. 1 Draft Pick

Originally posted on FanNation Blue Devil Country
By Matt Giles | Last updated 1/7/24

Fourth-year San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones drew his first start of the season in Thursday night's 125-121 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, tying his season-high with 18 points in 35 minutes on the floor. On Sunday afternoon, in his second straight start, the former two-year Duke basketball treasure matched that scoring total.

This time, in a 117-115 loss at the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 23-year-old Jones, a former second-round draft pick, shot 7-for-8 from the field, 2-for-2 beyond the arc, and 2-for-2 at the charity stripe. He added two rebounds, five assists, and two steals across his 34 minutes of action.

Granted, neither starting nod resulted in a victory. But it's worth noting that the two defeats were by a combined six points and at the hands of top-five Eastern Conference squads.

During the latest outing, Spurs reporter Tom Petrini echoed what many have been saying about Tre Jones since it became apparent recently — via spot-on alley-oop deliveries and the likes — that he might be San Antonio's best facilitator to pair with the franchise's No. 1 draft pick in 7-foot-4 rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama:

"It's not like Tre Jones fixes everything for the Spurs, but man he makes a whole lot of stuff a whole lot better."

Jones, Wembanyama, and the Spurs (5-30), last in the Western Conference standings, next travel to face the East cellar-dweller Detroit Pistons (3-32) at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday.

This article first appeared on FanNation Blue Devil Country and was syndicated with permission.

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