With all of the injuries the Warriors have had, it?s surprising that they?re even at .500. One of the biggest reasons for the team?s success is the emergence of Matt Barnes.
Barnes is proving he?s the real deal on a nightly basis. He?s an energy player who does all the little things to win, not to mention the stats to back it up.
He?s in the starting lineup while Mike Dunleavy has been coming off the bench most of the season.
That got me thinking. Not to bash Dunleavy too much, but Barnes is doing everything that we?ve been waiting for Dunleavy to do for over four years ? he?s an excellent 3-point shooter, he?s getting his share of rebounds, assists and steals, and he?s been one of the catalysts in running the fast break.
All those things are supposed to be Dunleavy?s strengths, but Mike has teased us early in his career with inconsistency in all those areas, especially shooting.
I really didn?t think about it until a few games ago when the Warriors were playing the Celtics. During one possession, Barnes had Sebastian Telfair guarding him. They decided to post up Barnes and use his size advantage. The ball went to Barnes and he made a quick move and banked home a shot from about eight feet. That was the last time Telfair guarded Barnes.
This wasn?t the first time Barnes, who has made a living this season behind the 3-point line, had scored inside because of a mismatch. And it wasn?t the last. He did the same thing against Mike Bibby the next game, and then to one of the Hornets the following game (I think it was Jannero Pargo).
So what does this have to do with Dunleavy you say? Well, how many times throughout his career have we seen the other team put a small guy on Dunleavy, and what percentage of those times has Mike made them pay?
Most of the time, Dunleavy starts to back down his man, waits for the double team and passes it out (without really creating a shot). Now that?s not a terrible play. Dunleavy has a smart basketball mind, and he tries to make the right decision. But he?s a big tease in a results-oriented league ? because if Earl Boykins is guarding Dunleavy on the post up (which he has before), we expect Mike to score, period.
Barnes doesn?t wait for the double team. He goes quickly and he scores. Results. Bottom line. No tease.
This column isn?t meant to bash Dunleavy. He is what he is, and Nellie is using him exactly how he should be used ? as a utility player off the bench. It?s not Dunleavy?s fault he was the No. 3 overall pick. Fans need to realize that he?ll never be a star or even close to that (I just wish Mullin realized this when he gave him that ridiculous contract last year).
What?s amazing is that Barnes is playing like the guy everyone expected Dunleavy to be coming out of Duke. In reality, Barnes was a second-round pick in 2002 and the Warriors are his fifth team in five years.
But if you didn?t know any of that, and you only watched Barnes play this season, you would believe me if I told you he was the No. 3 overall pick in that draft.
He?s in the top 10 in the league in 3-point percentage at 45.8%, but he?s contributed in so many other areas. He is very active and has so much energy that he reminds me of a smaller Shawn Marion. He comes up with big steals and rebounds consistently, and he always has one or two huge assists per game.
He?s playing better than his stats show, and his stats are pretty solid (if you?re in a fantasy basketball league, he?s already been picked up off waivers and is starting for that team).
He?s been the biggest surprise for the Warriors in a season in which four guys are having breakout seasons ? Andris Biedrins, Monta Ellis and Mickael Pietrus are all having career years along with Barnes.
But we?re not surprised by the other three guys. Barnes has come out of nowhere. I remember him as a teammate of Baron Davis at UCLA and he was a nice role player then, in college. I never thought he?d ever get regular minutes in the NBA.
Not only is he getting regular minutes now, but he?s started the last eight games and has averaged over 37 minutes in that span.
That?s not bad for a guy who was going to quit basketball if he didn?t make the team in the off-season. He may not be a superstar, but Matt Barnes is the real deal and he?s here to stay. In particular, he?s playing a bigger role for the Warriors than one teammate with a much larger contract and more fanfare.
You can contact me at pjahromi@sbcglobal.net with any questions or comments