Dirk and Barea lead the Mavs over the Suns last night. "Barea? Who?" That would be the response from any one that doesn't live in Dallas or follow the Mavs. He's so unknown that even Yahoo! doesn't have a link for him in their stories about last night's game.
Jose Juan Barea is 5'11" from Puerto Rico, and went to college at Northeastern. He came to the Mavs undrafted in 2006 and played 33 games that season. Last year, he played 44 games for the Mavs and averaged about 10 min per game with less than 5 points per game. He earned his first NBA start after a stellar performance and pivotal role in beating the Clippers in the Mav's last game before the Suns. Barea normally plays point guard in reserve of Jason Kidd. But, coach Carlisle decided either to reward Barea, or just to shake things up to counter Steve Nash's fast running offense, starting two point guards. Barea played for 30 minutes with 18 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds. He may not be a household name, or be in the All-Star Game any time soon with those numbers. But, if he keeps developing the way he has this season, he'll be a vital cog in Dallas' playoffs and Championship chances.
Fantasy Basketball mangers, time to put J. J. Barea on your radar!
Keywords: Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jose Juan Barea, Phoenix Suns
