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What Took Matt Barnes So Long?

May 5, 2007 – 4:00 PM
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Bethlehem Shoals

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Even before the Warriors had pulled off the impossible, we'd named Matt Barnes one of our playoff revelations. Barnes had bounced around the league, even slipped out of it a few times. When he had a scoring explosion during one of Golden State's injured spells, people chalked it up to Nellie-ball. In this series, though, he was useful by anyone's standards: active, athletic, reliable three-point shooter, and hell-bent on winning.

This has gotten me wondering why he hasn't found a home until now. I remember him doing some things for Sacramento in '04-05, but apparently he didn't do enough. What's weird is that the strengths he brings to the Warriors should have shown up anywhere. I guess he just didn't get enough PT, or no one was really paying attention.

It makes me think of Boris Diaw, buried on Atlanta's bench until D'Antoni set him free. The difference is that everyone knew that Diaw was a tall guy with point guard skills; only the Suns had imagined a role for him. Matt Barnes may have been unknown, but you'd think that anyone who saw him would see he had some promise. Lucky for him that Nellie was the one to figure this out.
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