Matt Barnes Should Start for the Los Angeles Clippers

By Terri Washington @Terri7589 on October 30, 2014

The preseason has brought much speculation to the Los Angeles Clippers‘  starting lineup, but the best choice has been in front of them all along — Matt Barnes.

Barnes did not have the greatest preseason, not many of his shots would fall, but Barnes has proven previously that when he gets hot, he can be a game changer. Barnes deserves the starting spot because of the way he meshes with the team.

Doc Rivers tried many rotations during preseason when it came to the starting lineup. New addition Chris Douglas-Roberts started during the preseason, as did second-year player Reggie Bullock. Bullock did well in his first start, but not well enough to earn him a starting spot. Douglas-Roberts is a ball of energy on the court, but his ball handling was sloppy and he was almost too active on the court.

Barnes, who is going into his fourth season as a Clipper, fits in well with the other starters because he has played with the four other starters multiple times and was successful. In the 2013-14 season, Barnes started 40 games with the Clippers and in those 40 games they won 29. Barnes was deserving of the starting position then and he proved himself, including getting a game-high of 12 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 6.

Throughout the 2014 preseason, Rivers alluded to the media that he knew Barnes would be the Clippers’ starter, but he also likes the idea of Barnes coming off of the bench. Barnes already knows how to play with J.J. Redick, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan. Therefore, he was the easiest and best decision all along.

Barnes becoming the starter was easy; keeping the job will be hard. Barnes’ struggles during the preseason were worrisome. Barnes started in four games and he didn’t record more than six points in any game. In the seven games Barnes played in during the preseason, he had a combined 18 points. He only averaged 2.6 points per game during the preseason, and though preseason doesn’t matter, he will have to pick it up if he wants to stay the starter for the 2014-15 season.

Terri Washington is a Los Angeles Clippers writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter @Terri7589, “Like” her on Facebook or add her to your network on Google.