Barry Slowly Regaining Confidence

Guard Brent Barry, depressed because he was playing poorly, was more upbeat after starting the second half of Monday night’s 112-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

“Slowly but surely it [his confidence] will build back up,” Barry said. “I’d like to just be part of a team that’s making a playoff run and have some sort of role in it and some sort of say in it. Hopefully with my play, I’ll be able to do that in the next couple of weeks.”

Barry made three of five shots and had seven rebounds and three assists as the Clippers overcame a 15-point halftime deficit against Golden State.

“It was a situation where we wanted to go out and play with a little more effort in the second half,” Barry said. “We didn’t want to go out and win the game in the third quarter, but we wanted to get back in it so that we had a chance to win.”

Even Clipper Coach Bill Fitch, Barry’s harshest critic at times this season, thought Barry played well.

“He played better than he’s been playing,” Fitch said. “He played with effort at the point last night and his defense was up a grade. He’ll play better as the season goes along, I hope, if he stays healthy.

*

The game featured two of the NBA’s worst free-throw shooters in Clipper foward Charles Outlaw and Trail Blazer reserve center Chris Dudley.

Outlaw, who came into the game shooting 54%, made one of two free throws in the first half, while Dudley, shooting 43%, made the only free throw he attempted in the first half.