Although nothing is certain until a new assessment is made without the bruise he still had on his ankle yesterday, Valencia Basket had moderate optimism with Chris Jones’ injury. The first tests carried out suggest a minor injury, although today they will perform others again to better assess the severity of the sprain and also understand the player’s feelings.
The club knows first-hand Jones’ ability to play in pain after last season’s precedents, in which he forced himself on more than one occasion due to numerous injuries in the base position, but unless everything ends in a scare , it seems difficult for him to be able to travel to Milan, no matter how minor the injury.
A situation that can be assessed between today and tomorrow in the event that he can return to training, always taking into account the player’s good predisposition to help, but also the need not to take risks, as Mumbrú demonstrated against Joventut by giving rest to a key player like Brandon Davies despite not having an injury, only because of a rotation policy that reaches out to everyone to distribute efforts and rest and avoid injuries as much as possible.
With a stronger squad and a very different dynamic than last season, the comparisons may not be entirely significant, but despite this, no one forgets the problems that Valencia Basket had last year when the American was not there. on track.
In the Endesa League, he only missed the game on matchday 10 against Real Madrid, but in the Euroleague he was absent in six other games, for a total of seven, of which Valencia Basket was only able to win the last two .
Chris Jones’ first five absences ended in defeat, the one in the League against Real Madrid (79-62), again against the whites in the Euroleague (73-80), against Maccabi in Tel Aviv (84-68) Bayern in Munich (97-92) and Milan in Italy (90-79). Numbers that reflect the ‘Jonesdependence’ of the team last year, but that also warn of his possible absences, in case he cannot be available for Milan or for this Sunday at La Fonteta.
Of course, despite Martin Hermannsson’s injury, the presence of Stefan Jovic, that of a versatile and inspired Jared Harper and that of Guillem Ferrando who could return to the list, mean that the hypothetical absence of Chris Jones can be looked at with less alarmism than last season, also due to the team’s potential and the good dynamics of this season despite the last defeat in Badalona.
His performance in his first year at Valencia Basket earned him a renewal until 2026, but this season, he has maintained and even improved his numbers, with games to remember like the last one against Barcelona in La Fonteta.
The American with an Armenian passport has become one of the team’s leaders and the main offensive asset in decisive moments, when he assumes the responsibility that Mumbrú also gives him. In the Endesa League he has played all the games as a starter (something that only Josep Puerto has also achieved), averaging 11.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 11.5 efficiency, with a 50% success rate in triples, 62.2% in two-point shots and 81.8 in free throws. In the Euroleague, the Taronja ‘7’ also stands out with an average of 11.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.8 recoveries and 13.2 rating credits, with 25.7 minutes on average in track that makes him the most used player with Mumbrú, ahead of Kassius Robertson and Semi Ojeleye.
2023-11-07 03:00:33
#Valencia #crosses #fingers #Jones
