Kori Ellis
11-07-2004, 05:36 AM
Make No Bones About It
By Robert Doyen
FullSportPress.com
http://www.fullsportpress.com/artman/publish/article_156.shtml
At 6-foot-7 and a generous 210 pounds, Brent Barry's jersey hangs loosely on his frame like a wrinkled shirt on a coat hanger. Barry, known as Bones to his teammates, has never been mistaken for a physical specimen. However, it's the size of his basketball IQ that makes this skinny man such a large presence on the court.
On Sunday, he returns to Seattle for the first time in a San Antonio Spurs jersey. Sonics fans and players will no doubt look upon him reflectively.
During his tenure in Seattle, Barry made the Sonics a better team with his leadership as much as with his play. He always seemed to know the right time to pat a player on the back or add a harsh comment to the end of his coach's halftime speech. He also practiced individually with players to help them improve their game, just as his friend and mentor Chris Mullin taught Barry the finer points of shooting the basketball early in his career.
On the court, his style of play made everyone around him better. He had a knack for finding his teammates in spots they liked with his passes.
"Court sense is something I've been given," Barry said. "Some players have a good feel for the game."
His phenomenal shooting ability also made him a favorite target for teammates in trouble.
"That's why we get the ball to him, because of confidence that he's going to make shots," said former teammate Gary Payton.
The most telling statistic of his importance to Seattle was the Sonics’ winning percentage with Barry on the court. They went 17-31 in the 48 games during which Barry was sidelined due to injury in his five years with the team. In that same span they were 191-163 when he played.
Throughout his career, Barry has always played basketball in archetypal Spurs fashion. He is unselfish with the ball -- always looking to give a teammate a chance to make a play, but is also not shy about taking a big shot when the opportunity presents itself. He understands the flow of a basketball game and how best to act upon it.
Whereas in Seattle he was expected to star as one of the top two players, in San Antonio he can fall into a more natural role as a utility player. He is a shooting specialist who also happens to be a passer extraordinaire and a great floor leader.
Brent Barry is like a human Swiss army knife. He can do so many things and he does them well. If Tony Parker is having an off game, Barry plays the point for a while. If Manu Ginobili is playing too erratically, Barry comes in to calm things down. If the Spurs need a big three late in the game, Barry is your man.
In the Spurs' first two games of this young season, head coach Gregg Popovich has taken full advantage of Barry’s versatility, playing him 31.5 minutes per contest. Barry has responded by averaging 14.5 points and 4.0 assists.
The key to a championship? Make no Bones about it.
By Robert Doyen
FullSportPress.com
http://www.fullsportpress.com/artman/publish/article_156.shtml
At 6-foot-7 and a generous 210 pounds, Brent Barry's jersey hangs loosely on his frame like a wrinkled shirt on a coat hanger. Barry, known as Bones to his teammates, has never been mistaken for a physical specimen. However, it's the size of his basketball IQ that makes this skinny man such a large presence on the court.
On Sunday, he returns to Seattle for the first time in a San Antonio Spurs jersey. Sonics fans and players will no doubt look upon him reflectively.
During his tenure in Seattle, Barry made the Sonics a better team with his leadership as much as with his play. He always seemed to know the right time to pat a player on the back or add a harsh comment to the end of his coach's halftime speech. He also practiced individually with players to help them improve their game, just as his friend and mentor Chris Mullin taught Barry the finer points of shooting the basketball early in his career.
On the court, his style of play made everyone around him better. He had a knack for finding his teammates in spots they liked with his passes.
"Court sense is something I've been given," Barry said. "Some players have a good feel for the game."
His phenomenal shooting ability also made him a favorite target for teammates in trouble.
"That's why we get the ball to him, because of confidence that he's going to make shots," said former teammate Gary Payton.
The most telling statistic of his importance to Seattle was the Sonics’ winning percentage with Barry on the court. They went 17-31 in the 48 games during which Barry was sidelined due to injury in his five years with the team. In that same span they were 191-163 when he played.
Throughout his career, Barry has always played basketball in archetypal Spurs fashion. He is unselfish with the ball -- always looking to give a teammate a chance to make a play, but is also not shy about taking a big shot when the opportunity presents itself. He understands the flow of a basketball game and how best to act upon it.
Whereas in Seattle he was expected to star as one of the top two players, in San Antonio he can fall into a more natural role as a utility player. He is a shooting specialist who also happens to be a passer extraordinaire and a great floor leader.
Brent Barry is like a human Swiss army knife. He can do so many things and he does them well. If Tony Parker is having an off game, Barry plays the point for a while. If Manu Ginobili is playing too erratically, Barry comes in to calm things down. If the Spurs need a big three late in the game, Barry is your man.
In the Spurs' first two games of this young season, head coach Gregg Popovich has taken full advantage of Barry’s versatility, playing him 31.5 minutes per contest. Barry has responded by averaging 14.5 points and 4.0 assists.
The key to a championship? Make no Bones about it.