Scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a stretch of nine straight Dallas points at one point, Barnes finished a 9-of-13 shooting night with 25 points and 11 rebounds. He also lifted the Mavericks to a second straight win to complete a difficult home-road back-to-back. And according to Mavs coach Rick Carlisle, the 25-year-old Barnes once again showed why he’s taken the torch from 13-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki has the team’s No. 1 option late in games.
“[Barnes] closed the game. I mean, he was absolutely brilliant,” Carlisle proclaimed while praising the forward’s late-game execution. “He hit on a variety of shots — twos, threes, drives.