J.J. Barea: Quickly Becoming A Factor In Dallas
The first time I saw J.J. Barea was Oct. 6, 2006. This was at the Dallas Mavericks’ “Fan Jam” event. Players and coaches would be signing autographs and mingling with fans, and I looked forward to seeing my favorite Mavericks’ players up close. This was long before I began working in sports media, and I came to this event with a basketball that I was hoping to get signed by my favorite Mavs players.
On this day I targeted Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry. After securing Nowitzki and Howard’s autograph, I searched for the line that would take me to Terry.
I came across Terry happily signing autographs and I noticed what appeared to be another player next to him. I saw him and quickly dismissed him as someone that would play a little bit in the preseason, but I definitely didn’t expect to see him on the court for a regular season game.
I was wrong, completely and utterly wrong. That player was J.J. Barea and I learned a lesson that many doubters before me already knew: don’t doubt J.J. Barea. Barea proved me wrong, gradually becoming a valuable member of the Mavericks’ second unit, improving his minutes played and scoring average in each of his first three seasons with the team.
Barea even played a key role for the Mavericks’ 2011 championship team, a fact that surely surprised those around the league that had not previously seen Barea play. With the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat tied at two games apiece in the NBA Finals, head coach Rick Carlisle decided to increase Barea’s minutes in Game 5 and Game 6.
Barea responded to the increase in minutes, averaging 16 points and five assists in the two most important wins in Dallas Mavericks history. The Heat had no answer for Barea’s frenetic play, and Carlisle shrewdly began using it to his advantage. The 2011 Dallas Mavericks won the championship with superb ball movement and Barea was one of the best passing guards on the team.
Barea was set to become a free agent and the Minnesota Timberwolves secured Barea’s services the following offseason with a contract that totaled $19 million over four years. Dallas fans lamented the loss of the the fiery point guard who was so critical to their recent championship.
Barea may be slightly built as he is generously listed at 6′ 0″, 175 pounds, but he is adept at using his speed and tenacity to create offensive opportunities for himself and his teammates. Not only does Barea use his speed and quickness to his advantage, but he also changes speed well, an underrated skill among point guards.
The Mavericks appear set with starting point guard Jameer Nelson running the show, and Raymond Felton will eventually contribute, but it’s clear early on that J.J. Barea will see time on the court either way. Barea has quickly acclimated himself to the Mavericks’ new-look roster and Rick Carlisle has shown confidence in Barea despite the fact he has been back with the team for less than a week.
The 2011 Mavericks won the championship with a team that was deep at every position. As the 2014-15 season began, there were questions surrounding the Mavericks depth at the point guard position. With Devin Harris expected to play a great deal of shooting guard this season, the Mavericks were set to rely on Raymond Felton and Gal Mekel behind starter Jameer Nelson.
Due to a knee injury and pending four-game suspension, Raymond Felton has yet to play a game in a Mavericks uniform. Second-year point guard Gal Mekel (who Dallas waived to make room for Barea) showed promise during the preseason but he lacked the big-game experience that Barea has.
He may not be able to fill up the stat sheet while coming off the bench, but don’t discount his affect on the game. In his first game of the season versus the Utah Jazz on Oct. 30, Barea had four points, four assists and three rebounds in just over 18 minutes.
A more revealing statistic is the Mavericks’ plus-minus while Barea was on the court. The Mavericks were a +13 with Barea on the court in both games he has played during the 2014-15 season.
Barea’s tenure with the Minnesota Timberwolves did not unfold as he or the team would have liked, but he is clearly thrilled with the move back to Dallas. Barea has played well out of the gate and he should continue to improve as he gradually becomes acclimated to his new teammates.
Rick Carlisle is masterful at using deep, versatile rosters and adding Barea has given him another key asset as the Mavericks do battle in the Western Conference. He may not be large in stature and his statistics may not jump off of the page each night, but don’t doubt J.J. Barea when the chips are on the table, because he’s proven his mettle when it has mattered most.