Trib: Barbosa Looks To Step Up Game

George O'Brien

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Trib: Barbosa Looks To Step Up Game

By Jerry Brown
East Valley Tribune
Oct. 26, 2005
In a perfect world, Suns coaches would like Leandro Barbosa to (1) spell Steve Nash for about 20 minutes a game, (2) clean up his inconsistent floor game, (3) be a catalyst in the team’s increased focus on defense and (4) when the opportunity arises, chip in seven to 10 points.

Can Barbosa, now in his third NBA season, handle such a load? Is he ready for prime play as Nash’s understudy, or will he again be squeezed out of the rotation when push comes to shove down the stretch?

In Sunday’s 100-88 preseason win over Sacramento, the blazing, 6-foot-3 Brazilian put up four solid checkmarks and took what has been a good training camp to the next level.

In 17 strong minutes, Barbosa scored seven points — hitting all three shots from the field — and dished out four assists without committing a turnover. That effort came two nights after Barbosa contributed seven points, six rebounds and four assists in just over 20 minutes as the Suns cruised to an easy win over Seattle.

Everything about Barbosa looks better. His defense, his confidence — even his English.

"I’m really happy with the way L.B. has looked the last two games," Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said. "He’s so doggone fast it’s just ridiculous. His defense off the ball is getting better and better, and he’s growing in the offense. He’s going to be an important player for us in a lot of ways."


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Barbosa will not only spell Nash this year, he’ll see time at the two-guard spot in tandem with Nash — and enjoy it immensely. But even when Nash sits, the Suns have ballhandlers like Raja Bell and Boris Diaw on the floor to take some of the pressure off Barbosa when it comes to running the show.

"I feel comfortable on the court," said Barbosa, who has let his personality come out much more on the floor. "I’ve been playing a lot with Steve and it’s been helping me. I’m having a lot of fun. I like the two-guard and the chance to shoot some 3-point shots.

"I feel like I’m doing better on defense and using my quickness more. I am trying my best not to turn over the ball and let other people help."

Barbosa credits his upswing to the confidence he gained during this summer’s 2005 FIBA America Championships. He led Brazil to its first gold medal and was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 20.3 points, five rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals while playing more than 35 minutes. He capped the tournament with a 29-point explosion against Argentina in the gold medal game.

The competition is several rungs lower — there are only two or three NBA-caliber players on each team — but playing a key role on a winning team was good for Barbosa.

"To get the first gold and be a big part of the national team, that was a great experience," said Barbosa, who averaged seven points and two assists in 63 games last year with the Suns. "I feel like my defense is going good and I can guard a lot of people to help our team. We have a lot of shooters and a good bench and there are plenty of guys who can play. I just want to do what will help us win."

Suns assistant coach Alvin Gentry said playing on a Brazilian team that leaned on Barbosa heavily left him no choice but to step up and meet the challenge.

"When you talk about L.B., confidence is everything. When he’s confident, he’s aggressive. And when he’s aggressive, he’s dangerous,’’ Gentry said. "On that team last summer, he was pretty much the show and he gained confidence that has carried over to camp. Now the question is consistency."
 

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