SFC: Barnes steps up despite a heavy heart

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Barnes steps up despite a heavy heart
Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, December 9, 2007


(12-08) 18:38 PST -- Matt Barnes had fought through broken plays and
broken bones. A broken heart was no different. His game was lagging
all the same, so he turned to the coach who resurrected his career and
asked Don Nelson for the only help he needed.

"Yell at me," he said.

"I just couldn't do it," Nelson recalled. "It's harder for me to do
that than for him to take it."

How could Nelson chastise a player whose mother was dying?

In the same way that Barnes played some of his best basketball just
before and after his mother's death.

You just do it.

Ann Barnes, 50, passed away from cancer almost two weeks ago, and for
Matt, the healing process began at her funeral Tuesday. The service in
Fair Oaks (Sacramento County) was standing-room only; the pews packed,
the left and right aisles swelled, the rear foyer filled.

Every Warriors player was there, along with most of the front office
and support staff. Former UCLA coach Steve Lavin was there, along with
a host of Barnes' former college teammates.

Mothers were, too, with those of Al Harrington and Earl Watson among
the dozens to take a turn at the podium.

"My mom was very loved and everyone that knew me knew her, so it meant
a lot to me to know that everyone cared about her that much," Barnes
said. "Knowing that's the last time I'm ever going to see my mom was
tough. But at the same time, I know she's not in pain anymore. She's
not hurting and she's not crying anymore.

"Now I know she's looking down on me and my family."

So he will look after his. Nelson calls Barnes his "bench captain,"
someone to lead the followers and make sure they are in sync.

The role is a natural for the forward, who already went through the
same transition from free agent to role player that Kelenna Azubuike
is undertaking and who knows all about what scrapping for minutes is
like.

It is why, when things were not going well early on, Barnes sought out
that vociferous tough love from Nelson.

"That's what gets it out of me," he explained. "I know I always play
hard, but even if I'm playing well, I'm never really satisfied.
There's more I can do ...

"Nellie made this a dream for me, from being a longshot making the
team last year, to helping out last year and then being a captain this
year. It's been a very smooth transition, and I just think the best is
yet to come."

Nelson does not disagree.

"What I need is another guy on the floor I can throw the ball to and
he can create a play or make a proper pass," he said. "You don't have
to tell him what play or where to go or anything. He knows the
offense. He knows where the targets are and what he's supposed to do."

Most of the time, at least. When Barnes tried to skip a pass across
the length of the court to Monta Ellis and ended up turning the ball
over in a tight game against Orlando on Monday, Nelson cringed.

"Sometimes he sees too much. He sees things that aren't there," Nelson
said.

But he also knew Barnes would make up for it. He usually does.

After a rocky start to the season that saw Barnes pulled in and out of
games, the forward broke through with 17 points, eight assists and six
rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 16. Not
coincidentally, it was the Warriors' first win of the season.

After missing the Warriors' subsequent road trip for what turned out
to be his mother's final week, he posted eight points, seven rebounds
and seven assists as the Warriors throttled the Phoenix Suns in
Oakland.

He has started against Phoenix, Sacramento and Orlando and provided
his usual energy and hustle.

In Oakland, Baron Davis is the bona fide star and Stephen Jackson is
the glue. But Barnes might be the emotional heart, with the "Believe"
tattoo on his neck as visible proof.

Warriors tonight

Who: Warriors (11-8) vs. Lakers (11-8)
Where: Los Angeles
When: 6:30 p.m.
TV/Radio: FSN/680

E-mail Janny Hu at jhu.TakeThisOut@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/09/SP1HTQ2OB.DTL

This article appeared on page D - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle