LOS ANGELES – With the playoffs out of reach and the majority of the team's star players shut down for the rest of the 2018-19 campaign; the Los Angeles Lakers have been giving some players from the South Bay Lakers a platform to showcase their skills during the final stretch of the season.

One of those players is Jemerrio Jones, and he's not wasting his opportunity as he continues to make an impression in his short time in a Lakers uniform.

On Sunday, Jones got his first start with the team and went on to grab a career-high 16 rebounds which is the first time since the 1970-71 season, the first time the NBA started tracking starters, that a player for the Lakers has had that many rebounds in a first career start.

“I got the bubble guts a little bit, but I was straight with it,” Jones said about learning he was starting against the Utah Jazz.

Along with the 16 rebounds, Jones had five points, five assists, two blocks, and a steal in 38 minutes on the floor. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led all scorers with a game-high 32 points following by JaVale McGee with 22 and Alex Caruso with 18.

“It's the dog in me,” Jones on how he's grabbing so many rebounds. “That's what I want to do, and I'm willing to do it, and you can see I don't score a lot of points. I got to do all the other little things.”

Jones has now had back-to-back 10+ rebounds in two consecutive wins for the Lakers. The 23-year-old swiped 10 off the glass against the L.A. Clippers and 16 in the win over the Jazz along with seven in the game against the Golden State Warriors.

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“I just got to take advantage of it,” Jones said of his opportunity. “It was my time. I guess everything happen for a reason, so I'm just going to take the chance and run with that.”

During Luke Walton's post-game press conference, the team's head coach said that Jones thanks him for the opportunity after every game he's played with the Lakers. Jones was asked about this in the locker room and when he'll stop thanking Walton for the opportunity.

“When they give me more than 10 days,” Jones said referring to his contract.

Jones' response had a lot had the media and most of the players left in the locker room cracking up.

Now Jones and company will try to continue their strong finish to an otherwise forgettable season as they're set to host Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers in the Lakers' season finale on Tuesday at the Staples Center.