DALLAS – An MRI conducted Saturday on J. J. Barea revealed that the Dallas Mavericks’ 13-year veteran guard suffered a rupture of his right Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter of Friday’s road game in Minnesota.
The Mavs noted that Barea is currently weighing his surgery options and that an update will be given at a later date.
Barea injured himself when he received a pass from rookie Jalen Brunson and drove inside the paint and scored on a layup that put the Mas ahead, 102-92, with 6:28 remaining in the game. As Barea lay sprawled on the floor, play continued until Brunson committed an intentional foul to stop the action.
Mavs head athletic trainer Casey Smith and others raced onto the court to assist Barea and help him to the dressing room.
Ironically, when the Mavs played a game in Portland on Mar. 5, 2015, guard Wesley Matthews – who was playing with the Trail Blazers at the time — ruptured the Achilles tendon in his left leg and missed the remainder of the season.
Matthews underwent successful surgery, signed a four-year free agent contract with the Mavs in the summer of 2015, and was in the starting lineup and played 26 minutes on opening day during a 111-95 victory against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 28, 2015.
Before he was injured, Barea poured in 16 points and handed out seven assists in 22 minutes against the Timberwolves. Overall, he is averaging 10.9 points and a team-high 5.6 assists while being the savvy leader of the Mavs’ second unit.
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