Mavericks backup guard J.J. Barea getting his points across during win streak

A noticeable change has occurred since J.J. Barea stepped into the Dallas Mavericks’ starting lineup at point guard for the injured Deron Williams.

The change happened four games ago, and the Mavericks haven’t lost. In the process, the Mavericks have produced their best four-game scoring stretch of the season — 113.5 points per game.

Barea has averaged 22.3 points, 6.8 assists and 32.5 minutes in the four games. He also is shooting 63 percent from the field (34-of-54) during that span, and 69.2 percent from 3-point range (18-of-26).

It’s a notable achievement by the 10-year veteran who is generously listed as 6-feet tall.

“I’ve been able to help my team a lot the last couple of games,” Barea said. “Especially early in games bringing a lot of energy. They’ve got confidence in me, they’ve been finding me, they’ve been setting screens for me. So it’s awesome to be out there with them.”

During Wednesday’s 114-91 victory over the defending champion Golden State Warriors, Barea scored a game-high 23 points and had a game-high six assists in 31 minutes.

Although they’ve seen Barea get on a roll before, his teammates are marveling at what he has accomplished in the past four games.

“He’s been incredible,” power forward Dirk Nowitzki said. “Every time he steps into a shot now I think it’s going in. That’s the kind of rhythm he’s in right now. When the [defensive] guys go under his screen-and-roll, it’s almost automatic he’s stepping in and is really shooting the ball well and with a lot of confidence.”

In the victory over the Warriors, Barea set the tone early with nine points in the first quarter.

“I think we did an awesome job, especially early in the first minutes of the game where we hit first,” Barea said. “We had a lot of energy and we hit some shots, and I think I got everybody going for the rest of the game.”

Barea started his recent surge when he scored a career-high 32 points with 11 assists in a 119-118 overtime victory at Brooklyn on Dec. 23. In that game, he was 13-of-20 from the field, including 5-of-7 on 3-pointers.

In Saturday’s 118-111 triumph against the Chicago Bulls, Barea was 9-of-14 from the field and 7-of-8 from behind the 3-point arc and scored a game-high 26 points.

Milwaukee held Barea to just eight points on 3-of-8 shooting during this past Monday’s 103-93 Dallas victory.

“He’s been great,” small forward Chandler Parsons said. “He’s playing confident, he’s making shots, and he’s been unbelievable. We’ve got to continue to find him in the right spots and continue to play off him and let him keep making plays for us while he’s got the hot hand.”

The Mavericks (19-13) face the Miami Heat (18-13) at 6:30 p.m. Friday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. The first game of the new year is a homecoming for Barea, who graduated from high school at Miami Christian School.

“I think we always do a good job over there in Miami,” Barea said. “So we know we’ve got to get our rest. We’ve got to go out there, especially in the first quarter. It’s going to be huge over there in Miami.”

It didn’t matter that the Mavericks beat Golden State without superstar Stephen Curry, who has a bruised lower left leg.

“We’ve got to bring our ‘A’ game no matter who’s playing,” Barea said. “They’re a great team all around and our guys did a great job [Wednesday].”

Williams, who has a strained left hamstring, is listed as day-to-day, and there’s no specific timetable on his return.

“When they go over the screen-and-roll, [Barea] finds a way to spin in the lane and make some of his floaters or leaners,” Nowitzki said. “He’s just a great pick-and-roll player for us.

“And he’s been amazing holding the fort down until D-Will comes back.”

This story was originally published December 31, 2015 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Mavericks backup guard J.J. Barea getting his points across during win streak."