<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">This time, he's getting spot minutes in critical defensive situations. "He's been great for us,'' Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "Every time we've inserted him in a game, he's been great for us. Sometimes, he wouldn't play for a whole half and then we'd throw him in in the third and fourth quarters. Every time we've played him, he's made major contributions.'' Barnes isn't going to dazzle anyone with his offensive skills, but that's not why Sixers president/general manager Billy King wanted him included in last February's deal; he knew Barnes, from UCLA, had a reputation as a defender. In the meantime, though, Barnes invested some time with shooting instructors and has at least improved in that area; overall, he's shooting 45.2 percent from the floor this season, including making 8 of 12 as a Sixer. He's averaging 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds overall. "I had seen him play for Sacramento,'' said Cheeks, who spent three seasons-plus coaching the Portland Trail Blazers. "We needed guys to come off the bench and not [have to] run plays for them, but to generate some defensive energy.'' That works for Barnes, who hasn't forgotten the night he was traded. "[The Kings] had just gotten to Dallas; they called me, said there had been a trade, that I had been included, that I was going to Philly,'' Barnes recalled. "I thought, going into it, it was going to be a great opportunity. It didn't work out.'' </div> link: http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/13537316.htm its good to see him out there playing and contributing. he provides this team the extra depth that they lack.
