Dallas Mavericks: 5 takeaways from win over Kings in seeding game three

Dallas Mavericks takeaway from win over Kings: 3. Barea struggles

J.J. Barea got his first minutes from inside the bubble on Tuesday. It was not a fantastic game for the 36-year-old. He finished with one point, one rebound, one assist, and one steal in 14 minutes of action. Barea started both halves, but never returned after being subbed out with 6:51 remaining in the third quarter.

The most painful part was the Mavericks legend looks done. He got into the paint on all three of his shot but had to force heavily contested attempts each time. Barea just did not have the lift and explosion he once did. He struggled mightily on the defensive end too. The Mavs were outscored by ten points while J.J. was on the floor.

There is nothing to be ashamed of for Barea. The 36-year-old tore his Achilles last season. That is a devastating injury. It remains impressive that Barea even made it back on the court at this point in his career.

J.J. is still a crafty veteran and the only Maverick with a championship ring. That could come in handy in the playoffs be it on the court or in the huddle. Do not expect massive minutes from Barea, but it would not be surprising to see him play again during NBA Disney. Hopefully, he performs better in his second outing.

Next: No. 2