Matt Barnes returns to the court for Clippers
Matt Barnes has been fighting injuries even before the season started, making it mentally tough on the Clippers small forward.
But he was back playing Saturday night for the first time in almost a month, back doing what he loves doing and that was helping the Clippers beat the Denver Nuggets.
“It’s been hard for me to catch a rhythm all season, being hurt during the summer time, training camp and up to now,” Barnes said after he scored 13 points on five-for-12 shooting. “It’s really been a mental season for me so far, kind of seeing where I can help the team when I get back. (Saturday night), I tried to do a little bit of that.”
Barnes injured his right thigh during the summer, which limited how he was able to train.
Then when training camp started in October in San Diego, Barnes re-injured the same thigh, which was diagnosed as a bruise. But it meant he couldn’t start the season with the Clippers.
So Barnes played just eight games after he got healthy, but he was injured again.
This time, he suffered a torn retina in his left eye that required three procedures before he could play again.
Barnes missed 16 games letting his eye heal, and even then, he will have to wear goggles for a while longer.
“I think my conditioning is fine,” Barnes said. “It’s just really getting my game legs back.”
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