DALLAS – J. J. Barea came back to the Dallas Mavericks just in the nick of time.
Out for the previous 20 games with a stained left calf, Barea was the impetus the Mavs used to grind out a hard-fought 105-96 triumph over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night before a sellout crowd of 20,022 at American Airlines Center.
Barea played 14 minutes, scored nine points, dispended three assists and helped orchestrate the Mavs’ zone defense that finally slowed down the Nets’ offensive attack. His impact was precisely what the Mavs needed on a night when they turned the ball over 16 times and shot just 42.