What label is that, you might ask? One thing’s for certain: it most assuredly isn’t the title of “Kobe Stopper.” Perhaps “Kobe Ignitor,” but definitely not stopper. No, the label Jones is trying his hardest to live up to is that of a dirty player. While Jones has always been a petulant, mouthy player — even at Duke — he’s always been pretty harmless. An athletic dunking machine with no shot, but harmless nonetheless. Until now. Granted, the rumblings about Jones’ play began in earnest when he manhandled Chris Paul in the first round, but now, thanks to his “if I can’t stop him, I’ll take him out” mentality when he’s guarding Kobe Bryant — because, again, he can’t stop Bryant playing regular defense, or make him work for that matter — the rumblings have turned into labels.

Jones’ switch from hard-nosed to dirty can be summed up in two plays: first, the two-hands-in-the-back push of Kobe Bryant in Game 3 and last night’s “Damn, Kobe beat me backdoor, so I’m gonna trip him” defensive stand. By themselves, these plays probably wouldn’t stand out too badly, well, with the exception of not making them flagrant fouls, but when you do something like this in consecutive games, the label can’t wait to attach itself to you.

And Phil Jackson can’t wait to use you as fodder in his press conferences, not that Jones’ teammates seemed to care, mind you.

It didn’t take long for Jackson’s comments to reach Jones’ teammate, Kenyon Martin, who shouted from a few lockers away, “You made it, dog! You’re a dirty player!”

Celebrations all around! Of course, staring at two opposing players after a breakaway dunk with no one contesting you doesn’t help that whole image thing either; although, I’m doubting that means that much to Jones or his teammates.

Tags: Bad Fouls, Dahntay Jones, Denver Nuggets, Dunk, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Playoffs

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