J.J. Barea surveyed the pick-and-roll landscape late in the game and knew he had fallen into a perfect situation.
Time and time again on Sunday afternoon at the Barclays Center, the Dallas Mavericks guard found himself on the perimeter being meekly challenged by Brooklyn Nets 7-foot center Brook Lopez.
Despite being only 6-feet tall, Barea fired in four consecutive jumpers over Lopez — the fourth one a 3-pointer – to fuel the Mavs to their 111-104 triumph over the Nets.
It was almost like a cat-and-mouse game for Barea, who scored nine straight points and obviously got the best of Lopez.