Dallas Mavericks: J.J. Barea Proving His Worth As A Role Player

J.J. Barea has elevated his game for the Dallas Mavericks since taking over the starting point guard spot, and that could earn him some extra minutes.

The Dallas Mavericks came into the 2015-16 season with a stacked point guard position. Devin Harris was under contract for the season. Raymond Felton exercised his player option to remain with the team and Deron Williams was bought out by the Brooklyn Nets, leading to a deal with the Mavs. Also, J.J. Barea re-signed after almost taking a deal with the Miami Heat.

The Mavs had four point guards on their roster capable of starting for the team and that was something that was going to work to their advantage since all four had been known to suffer from minor, yet lingering, injuries in the past.

Perhaps the biggest risk for the team was having Williams as the starter. The point guard position is one of the most important positions for the Mavs because of how Dirk Nowitzki works with it. After an injury-riddled tenure with the Nets, there was a bit of uncertainty as to whether he would be a reliable option for the team.

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He had only missed two games up to Dec. 22 before, against the Toronto Raptors, straining his left hamstring, causing him to miss the next four games.  After a poor showing from the main rotation players that night, Rick Carlisle issued a warning to the team by saying:

"“If it’s gonna be like that, these guys won’t be Mavericks very long. I can promise you that.”"

That added a little more incentive for Barea to perform better, since he was set to become the starter while Williams was out. He responded with a few huge games during that time period:

• BKN: 32 points, 11 assists
• CHI: 26 points, 5 assists
• MIL: 8 points, 5 assists
• GS: 23 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

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With the change, Barea received at least 25 minutes in all four games, something that he had gotten only three other times this season. Also, he made at least five three-pointers in all games except the one against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Overall, he seemed to be a better player when he was in the starting lineup. Carlisle’s comments could’ve motivated him to play better or it might’ve just been the fact that he was getting more minutes. One thing could not be denied was that those four starts helped the Mavs pick up some big wins.

Barea’s hot streak ended with a six-point, five-assist outing against the Miami Heat in a game where he started and Williams came off of the bench. However, he wasn’t the only player that looked bad since the Mavs shot just 37 percent from the floor as a team.

Barea’s hot streak could’ve been exactly that and nothing else, but there is no denying the fact that he could be an important asset for an overachieving Mavs team. With Williams’ return, he will likely return to the role of a bench player but that doesn’t mean his success is over.

As one player that would be a likely trade asset, Barea will have to continue to prove that he can contribute on both ends of the floor, something that he has done so far this season. He is currently shooting 44 percent from the field and 42 percent from the three-point line, both career highs.

Though he is only listed at 6-feet, he plays taller on the defensive end of the court by drawing fouls and picking off bad passes.

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Barea is one of four Mavs point guards that is playing well this season. His recent breakout games have provided some hope for the future of the Mavs’ bench and he could be key down the stretch, especially from areas like the three-point line.