Since being inserted into the starting lineup December 6 against the Utah Jazz, Damon, the six-year veteran, has helped guide the HEAT to a 17-4 record, wheeling off a franchise record 14 consecutive wins during that stretch.

It’s safe to say that Damon is having a career year, averaging 10.8 points per game, almost five points higher than his career average of 6.1 points per contest. Even though he is more aggressive offensively this season, Damon is taking care of the ball as well. His 4-to-1 assists-to-turnover ratio is fourth best in the NBA.

But it is Damon’s 3-point shooting that has made the HEAT hot during the 21-game stretch. Damon is second in the NBA behind Suns forward Quentin Richardson in 3-pointers made and attempted. His 105 3-pointers also mark a season-career high – and he’s only halfway through the season.

Shaq and Dwyane Wade are no doubt the key pieces to the HEAT’s championship puzzle, but Eddie Jones may be the glue that holds it all together. Heading into today’s game versus Atlanta, the HEAT is 12-3 when he scores 14 or more points this season, two of those losses came by two points.

Through the first 22 games, Eddie Jones averaged 10 points, and even though the HEAT boasted a 15-7 record, Miami averaged 98 points during that span. Heading into tonight’s game, Jones is averaging 15 points over the last 17 contests, and the HEAT is 14-3 over that span averaging 105 points per game.

And even though he had offensive struggles during the beginning of the season, Eddie never lost faith in his abilities. Now the three-time All-Star is back to his old ways on offense, slashing to the basket and knocking down 3’s, while continuing to be one of the league’s better perimeter defenders.

In Miami’s five-game West Coast swing, Jones jumped into the NBA history books surpassing former New York Knick John Starks for 15th on the all-time 3-pointers made list with 1,225.

According to Eddie, there’s no difference between the Eddie Jones who averaged 10 points through the first 22 contests and the Eddie Jones who is averaging 15 points over the last 17 – nothing but the ball is now going through the hoop.

“I take the same approach. I think sometimes as players you start out in tough stretches,” he said. “I started out in a horrible stretch and I had to just work my through it. I knew it was going to get turned around. I just had to believe in myself and have more confidence, and that’s what I did.”

Miami believes that the two Joneses will be a big part of the HEAT’s championship run.