MINNEAPOLIS — There's a stack of Tylenol packets four high in J.J. Barea's locker, and he's boasting a fat lip that rivals the cosmetic fillers of a Real Housewife. It's the badge of more minutes and a bigger role than he's accustomed to, his stitches unraveling and coming open in a display that's as grotesque as it is inspirational.
Lately, those stitches can't keep up with Barea, with his tough speed and bullish determination that have at times been the only things keeping the Timberwolves afloat. You wouldn't know it, either from the team's record or the attention he's garnering, but the point guard is currently in the midst of one of the best streaks of his career.
There's no way to deny it: J.J. Barea is carrying the Timberwolves, and he may be the only bright spot in their performance during these last forgettable weeks. But in the midst of an 11-game losing streak, even a bright spot can be tarnished by finishing with not quite enough, as both the Timberwolves and Barea did in Tuesday's 91-84 loss to Memphis.
The Timberwolves should be upset that they let the Grizzlies run away with the game in its final four minutes, that they couldn't recover from a questionable foul call against Anthony Tolliver that turned a potential three-point play into a turnover. Barea, as much as is possible, should not, despite falling one point short of tying a career high. As disappointing as these past weeks have been for the team, he should find a way to be proud, because unlike every other bench player, he's found a way to step up consistently -- in a big way.
"He's been the guy who, since we've had all the injuries, we've really had to lean on, and he played a great game tonight," Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman said. "He's a competitor... but it's a big load, because we don't have anybody else who can handle the ball, so it's important that he's on the court."
Barea finished with 28 points, one off his career high of 29 against Milwaukee on Jan. 1, 2011 for the Mavericks. It's the most he's scored all season for the Timberwolves, and his eight assists were tied for the most of any player in the game. He also tied a career high with five three-pointers. But what's more notable than this single game is what Barea has done in his past eight, the best streak of his six-year career.
Over those games, Barea is averaging 16.1 points. That's the seventh-best average among point guards in the league over that time span, and with 34.9 minutes per game since April 4, he's playing the seventh-most minutes of any point guard, as well. He's also gone eight straight games with 10 or more points, topping his previous career high of seven consecutive 10-plus point nights that he set from March 30 to April 10 of last season.
His recent streak is even more impressive when considering the two games he played on March 21 and 23 before missing six with a thigh contusion. Including those games, in his past 10 Barea has averaged 17.2 points, numbers that border on ridiculous for a career bench player who's been forced into a starting role.
In some ways, Barea has made his name as a player who's capitalized on being overlooked. In Dallas, opponents focused on Dirk Nowitzki, at times allowing Barea more freedom then they should. In Minnesota, that distraction was Kevin Love, who like Nowitzki made Barea more effective simply by drawing double coverage.
"It's hard," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said of handling Barea. "You have to pick your poison, and you always stay with the better of the two."
Now, for perhaps the first time in his career, Barea has become the focus. Not only has he fallen into a starting role since Luke Ridnour's injury -- his return coincided perfectly with the first game Ridnour sat out -- but he's also become the team's only consistent ball-handler.
For most players, that would be a lot. But Barea has played alongside some of the most talented in the league, from veteran Jason Kidd in Dallas to rookie phenomenon Ricky Rubio with the Timberwolves. Obviously, he's picked something up from those experiences, and he's treated his starting role with the same tenacity as he does guarding a far larger opponent.
"I'm not used to it," Barea said. "You know, I'm used to playing 20 to 25 minutes max, but I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying fighting with my teammates and going out there and seeing what we can do."
After the game, Adelman said that ideally, he'd like another ball handler on his team right now, someone other than his point guard. But that's not a realistic wish at this point, and the Timberwolves will have to make do with what they're given. But they're hardly settling, getting more out of Barea than most might have imagined. They should be thankful that the point guard is accustomed to handling the ball so much and so effectively when he's in the game, even if it's usually for far less time than he's been playing lately.
Losses cloud performances like Barea's, and it's hard to dispute that he's getting some of his numbers solely because other players aren't there to post them. But even without the statistics, Barea provides something that's not captured in any box score. He's a source of momentum, an aggressive role model for young players, showing them just how possible it is to contribute in a larger role after seeing inconsistent minutes all season. He's selfless, passing the ball and deferring to teammates on Tuesday instead of shooting recklessly in hopes of hitting a career high. He creates opportunities, and on Tuesday he kept his team in the game.
It might not have been enough for the win, but Barea is making his mark late in the season. He's setting a standard for himself and meeting it, and at a time when Adelman is looking toward next year and calling for players to impress him, the point guard seems to be the only one who's listening.
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