Dallas Mavericks preaching patience with Barea
Johnson preaching patience while his point guard learns the ropes
09:21 PM CST on Tuesday, February 12, 2008
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
The education of J.J. Barea is ongoing. So far, he's still short of a passing grade.
Or a shooting grade, for that matter.
The Mavericks are 3-2 since Barea was thrust into the starting lineup because of Devin Harris' ankle injury. He has averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 assists and 34.1 percent shooting from the field (14-of-41).
The field goal percentage shouldn't be held against Barea. He's right alongside just about every other member of the team over the last five games.
Still, the Mavericks know they must be patient with Barea.
"We're playing with a pretty inexperienced point guard right now that we have to try and manage through these games, especially on the road," coach Avery Johnson said. "That's something we have to work with day in and day out.
"We try to keep his confidence up, try to keep him in the situation where he thinks this is the American Airlines Center, and he has his home fans that he loves to play in front of. It took us three years to get Devin to where he is now, so with this young man getting significant minutes, it's not going to come together in two weeks. It's going to take some time."
The 5-11 Barea has been getting tutelage from Harris, who offers what to look for in certain situations and against certain opposing point guards.
"He's got to use his smallness to his advantage," Harris said. "A lot of small guards get to the free throw line a lot, because usually the refs give them the benefit of the doubt because they're small. Look at Earl Boykins and Allen Iverson. Those guys get to the free throw line a lot. You just got to sell the calls a little more."
Barea said he's trying to take it all in and do the best job he can. He said smaller, quicker point guards give him more trouble than bigger, stronger guards like Portland's Jarrett Jack, whom he'll see tonight.
"I've always been good against tall point guards," Barea said. "I don't have a choice. I've been dealing with that all my life. Small guys, though, they give me trouble."
Briefly: An MRI confirmed that Josh Howard has a lower back contusion. The forward, who suffered the injury in Monday's loss at Philadelphia, is questionable for tonight's game against Portland. ... The Mavericks used Tuesday, the one off day in this five-day stretch, to rest up for the final two games before the All-Star break. The Mavericks are the only team with four games in five days leading into the long weekend.
The Mavs' offense has been pitiful in the last three games, averaging only 83.3 points. They are 14-of-64 from 3-point range in that stretch. ... On Monday, the Mavericks lost for only the second time this season when holding an opponent under 90 points. They are 15-2 when doing so.
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