Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes getting ready for next season – NBA Update
Matt Barnes has revealed that his injury troubles are behind him and he is looking forward to next season. The Los Angeles Lakers player, who stands 6-foot-7 and can play both as a small forward and a shooting guard had a below
average season last time out.
There were two main factors in Matt Barnes poor showing last season, the Lakers offensive system and Barnes own health. Los Angeles, under the now retired Phil Jackson, employed the triangle offense last year. The system deviates
from regular NBA offensive schemes in that the point guard is not as much important while the shooting guard has a lot of opportunities to score. With Kobe Bryant playing at the latter position, it made sense that Phil Jackson would opt for the tactic.
However, Barnes was one of the players who struggled to get to grips with the method and could not find his rhythm throughout the season. To make things worse, his knee gave out on the player and he had to undergo surgery in his
right knee, which cost him 26 games.
Barnes came back near the playoffs, but couldn’t be a factor as he had not fully recovered and watched on as the Lakers were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks via a sweep.
Now the player says he wants to get back to helping Los Angeles and is certain he can contribute to their cause,
“It was the hardest thing I’ve been through in my life – to finally be a Laker, not being able to contribute,” Barnes said. “That’s not to say we would have won. But I know I could’ve helped out as far as physicality, defense,
rebounding, toughness and knocking down shots. That’s all the things I could do and not being able to be out there killed me.”
The player could have left the Los Angeles Lakers this summer, but decided to pick up a $1.9 million one year option. Part of the reason is that Barnes believes he can make a mark after a poor season in which he averaged only 6.7
points per game to go along with 4.3 rebounds.
Another factor is the retirement of Phil Jackson and the subsequent abandoning of the Triangle offense. Mike Brown, former coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers whilst LeBron James was there, has been hired by Los Angeles management
to succeed Jackson in the Lakers hot seat.
Brown is expected to shelve the triangle offense in favour of a faster game and his defensive background states that the team will be performing with a lot more zeal on the back end of the court. Barnes believes it is a fresh start
and a second chance to prove himself.
Tags: