Why Mason Jones is in line to become the Rockets’ next star

Rookie guard Mason Jones put on a show Saturday night, proving to Houston Rockets fans that he deserves more playing opportunities going forward.

Mason Jones is one of the several rookies the Houston Rockets picked up in the offseason. His most recent performance against the San Antonio Spurs has elevated his potential ceiling considerably in the minds of any Rockets fans who were watching Saturday night.

Though the Rockets did not secure a second win against the Spurs with a short roster, Jones put forth a performance far beyond what is commonly seen from a rookie. He finished the night with 24 points, four assists, and six rebounds on red-hot shooting efficiencies of 66.7-percent from the field and a scorching 75-percent from behind the arc.

Being shorthanded saw the Rockets playing Jones starter-level minutes seeing 35 minutes of court time, which is far more than he has played in any game so far this season. Prior to Saturday night, he had shown a fair amount of potential in the relatively limited number of minutes he was being given, but nothing that would make one anticipate this kind of performance.

The only really noticeable flaw in Jones’ game is that he has not performed better than average on the defensive end of the floor. This is an issue for many rookies, and perhaps it can be mitigated with time and guidance from veteran defenders like P.J. Tucker.

The Rockets already have enough defensive issues as it is, so Jones will want to improve in that area if he wants to be a contributive player on both ends. With that caveat out of the way, we can focus on his positive attributes.

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