Jones, Morris step in

This isn’t how the Hawks’ Solomon Jones wanted to get more playing time.

But after two years of watching and learning, Jones knows better than to do anything but embrace an opportunity.

Josh Smith’s injury has paved the way for Jones and fellow big man Randolph Morris to break into the Hawks’ rotation of players.

Smith will miss from two to four weeks recovering from the high left ankle sprain he sustained with 56 seconds remaining in the first quarter of Friday’s win over Toronto, starting with tonight’s game in Oklahoma City against the Thunder.

Neither Jones nor Morris will replace Smith in the starting lineup, but they will play backup minutes that otherwise wouldn’t have been available.

“You’ve got to keep yourself mentally ready to go in this league, and that’s all I’ve ever tried to do,” said Jones, who played 25 minutes against the Raptors and finished with six points, nine rebounds, three blocks and impressed defensively against Raptors All-Star Chris Bosh. “When people started getting in foul trouble [early in the game], I told myself to get ready. I started warming up on the bench.

“You hate to see Josh get hurt because that’s a huge blow for our team. But at the same time, that’s how it goes. Sometimes a guy gets hurt and somebody has to step up and fill the void.”

Neither Jones nor Morris alone is capable of replacing Smith’s stats and leadership. Combined, however, with Zaza Pachulia filling in as a starter, they should at least be able to carry the bulk of the load.

“We know the same plays those guys know,” Morris said. “We’ll come in and give good minutes, and both myself, Solo and even Z will answer the bell when we’re called upon.”

Jones hasn’t been asked to work like this since his rookie season. He played nine consecutive minutes Saturday after Smith had left the game, and his mouth never closed. He was that tired.

“I bet he hasn’t played those kind of extended minutes in a long time, but that’s the way it goes” Marvin Williams said with a smile. “When they call your name, you have to be ready. We know these guys can do it because we see them every day in practice… .

“Solo’s been giving people fits since the summer, so to see him out there in the game doing the same thing proves that his hard work is paying off.”

That coach Mike Woodson didn’t hesitate to put either Jones or Morris in the game also shows how much he trusts his two reserves.

“Solomon and Randolph have been working hard in practice,” Woodson said. “I tell them all the time, when their time comes, they have to make the most of it. They took that in stride big time [Saturday night]. Their minutes were very positive for our team.”

Jones said it was vindication for all the hard work that’s gone into his career after two uneven seasons.

“There was a point in time I got down a couple years ago when I wasn’t playing and I was still trying to break into the rotation,” Jones said. “But now, I’ve been through this for two years, this is my third year. I know the things that happen throughout the course of a season, the injuries or whatever.

“Yeah, it is hard to think about having to go in because somebody is injured. But that may be your opportunity to shine, your chance to break into the rotation, so you have to be ready.”

NEXT FOR HAWKS

> Who: at Thunder

> When: 7 p.m. today

> TV; radio: SportSouth; 790 AM