Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
“That’s my game,” Barbosa said. “I like to be aggressive every time I am on the court. Coach (Rivers) has been giving me a lot of confidence so every time I am there, I try to of course set up plays for my teammates, but if I see opportunities for me to score, I will score.”
Even Rivers finds himself looking on in astonishment at how quickly Barbosa can get going despite coming off the bench.
“We thought he was going to go for a (scoring) record in the first half,” Rivers said. “He’s a scorer. We don’t have a backup point right now, so when we put him in, we’re putting him in as a scorer.”
CSNNE: Barbosa making an impact in limited minutes
Just look at Friday’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, when Barbosa was held scoreless for just the second time since his arrival. Rivers couldn’t have been happier with Barbosa’s play because Barbosa still impacted the game as a serviceable part-time ball-handler (two assists in 11 minutes) and a full-time agitator to the opposing ball-handler.
“It’s funny, he didn’t score a point and I thought his defensive pressure was extremely effective tonight,” Rivers said after Friday’s game. “He has that reputation of being an offensive player. What we have found since getting him, he’s a heck of a defensive player. He has the ability to put pressure on the ball. That’s something we didn’t know.”
ESPN Boston: Leandro Barbosa is not just a scorer
It’s rare for a last-minute veteran minimum signing to get off the bench, much less be a contributor to the level of Barbosa so far this season.
Leandro is the perfect example, though, of a guy just being comfortable with who he is on the floor. Unlike Courtney Lee, for example, who is struggling with his role on the team, Barbosa is fearless with his game. He doesn’t seem to mind if Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett are on the floor with him. If he’s got a chance to score, then he’s going to take it.
Here’s more on the Blur, from WEEI:
In four first-half minutes, Leandro Barbosa scored 11 points, making all four of his shots, including a pair of 3-pointers and a traditional three-point play. He entered the game averaging 15.8 points, 4.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds per 36 minutes, and that kind of production can’t be ignored. Makes you wonder how many guard minutes will be left for Courtney Lee once Avery Bradley returns.
Makes you wonder indeed….
The rest of the links:
CSNNE: Garnett still a major influence on former teammates Perkins, Davis | Bench a big part of big win | ESPN Boston: Doc’s take: Magic played hard | Final play: too quick for comfort | Herald: Big Baby’s all grown up in Orlando | Celtics take Baby steps | KG still tight with Davis | Globe: C’s have that little extra in OT win | Glen Davis is a more mature Big Baby
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
