Tyus Jones is smaller and a step slower than many NBA point guards, leading most people to believe he wouldn’t be able to play defense at the pro level. And, for a while, those people were right.

In limited action, Jones ranked 41st out of 62 point guards as a rookie in defensive real plus-minus, a stat created by ESPN that estimates a player’s impact on team defensive performance.

Two years later, things have changed. Jones, in the early stages of his third season, has morphed into a better-than-average defender. This season, he ranks 11th out of 91 point guards in defensive real-plus minus. The Timberwolves allow 105.4 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor, the fifth-best mark on the team.

Over the past four games, in which Jones is averaging 38 minutes a game — and playing primarily with the starters — with Jeff Teague out with an Achilles injury, Jones has the team’s best defensive rating (101). Related Articles Timberwolves head into team bubble excited to spend time together, on and off the court

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Overall, Jones’ defensive real-plus minus is fourth on the team. His defensive box plus-minus of zero — which Basketball Reference calls an “estimate of the points per 100 possessions that a player contributed above a league-average player, translated to an average team” — ranks second on the team, trailing only Taj Gibson.

Three percent of possessions when Jones is on the floor end with him getting a steal, the sixth-best percentage in the NBA. He’s averaging 1.79 steals per turnover, the third-best mark in the league.

Somewhere along the line, Jones developed into a decent defender at a position where not many exist. In two short years, he’s gone from a liability to an asset on that end of the floor. But how?

“Work, watch film, listen to coach. That’s it, really,” Jones said. “And then it’s just an effort thing, learning, focusing on it every day, seeing what works, what doesn’t work, different things like that.”

Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said Jones’ team defense is “very good.” He’ll be in the right spots and often help funnel opponents to the correct areas. That part of the game, Thibodeau said, is ahead of his individual defense.

Thibodeau noted Jones still needs to work on containing the ball and challenging shots.

“That’s the biggest thing in the NBA with pick-and-roll defense, body position, not allowing the ball to go wherever they want it to go,” Thibodeau said. “We have to get it under control. And so when he does that, he’s very effective. When he doesn’t, we have problems.”

Thibodeau did says Jones’ individual defense “is coming” along, as the advanced statistics suggest. Jones said defensive improvement has been “a focus” of his every year.

“Just trying to learn the game, study the game, build better habits on that end and make it easier on myself,” he said.

All that film study has paid off. Thibodeau lauded the way Jones sees things unfold. “He can anticipate, he reads plays well.” Jones has jumped passing lanes with a similar consistency to Jimmy Butler, Minnesota’s top defender.

“I guess he took a couple of pages out of my book,” Butler said after Jones tallied seven steals in Minnesota’s win over Phoenix on Sunday.

It’s not all mental. Jones’ quick hands have proven valuable. On several plays when he’s been beaten this season, he’s recovered enough to poke the ball away and start a transition opportunity going the other way. Jones said his hands are his greatest defensive asset.

“Just trying to have good reaction and anticipation,” Jones said. “Trying to make some steals, don’t let your guy be comfortable. Even if you’re not getting a hand on the ball, just your hand being there is going to make him react to it and be a little more uncomfortable.”

Gibson said Jones has benefited from the hard work he’s put forth in practice on a daily basis.

“When you’re in practice and you’re challenging some of the best guards like Jeff Teague, and he’s going against Jimmy Butler every day in practice, trying to get better, you’re pushing yourself to the limit,” Gibson said, “it’s going to come out better for you when you get in the real game.”