Matt Barnes Suffers Ankle Injury vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Golden State Warriors swingman Matt Barnes suffered a right ankle and foot sprain Saturday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, according to the team's public relations department. 

Barnes was subsequently ruled out after his x-rays came back negative. 

Although Barnes was bothered by hamstring injuries a season ago, he's generally been healthy during a 2016-17 campaign that saw him move to the Warriors from the Sacramento Kings in early March. 

Since linking up with the defending Western Conference champions, Barnes has averaged 5.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while operating as a rotational body on the perimeter. 

However, it's never been about basic box score stats with Barnes. Rather, his value—especially on defense— is best viewed through a refined lens. 

Case in point: Through 19 games with Barnes in the fold, the Warriors have posted a defensive rating of 100.2 when he's been on the floor, according to NBA.com's lineup data. As a point of reference, the team's season-long mark sits at 101.1. 

In other words, Barnes' real value lies in his ability to frustrate opposing scorers on and off the ball in order to take the pressure off some of Golden State's more prominent perimeter weapons. 

Should Barnes miss time, head coach Steve Kerr will lean on Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala to do the heavy lifting at small forward. Ian Clark could also chip in at the 3, if necessary.    

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