Matt Barnes

Despite nursing a sprained right ankle he describes as still sore, Lakers forward Matt Barnes will play Sunday in Game 1 of the Lakers-Nuggets first-round series. "I'm going to play no matter what," Barnes said Saturday at the Lakers' practice facility in El Segundo. "I don't think anyone is 100% at this point. I'll just try to stay warm when I'm out of the game and hopefully I'll be effective. " Barnes' health is an added concern at a small forward spot that is in flux. Lakers forward Metta World Peace will serve a six-game suspension after throwing an elbow last week at Oklahoma City  guard James Harden.

Matt Barnes and Devin Ebanks are battling for more than a starting spot. Whichever small forward comes out on the short end probably will be relegated to third-string status behind Metta World Peace , who is coming off the bench this season for the first time as a Laker. Barnes started Monday night in the Lakers' exhibition opener against the Clippers at Staples Center, something he did not do in any of the 53 games he played with the team last season. Lakers Coach Mike Brown said Barnes received the starting nod based on his being more consistent and having played better defensively.

Matt Barnes, a free-agent forward who spent the last two seasons with the Lakers, faces a felony charge of threatening a public official after being arrested Monday night, said Lt. Steve Tobias of the Manhattan Beach Police Department. Barnes, 32, was arrested in Manhattan Beach after an officer who was aware he had an outstanding warrant for a misdemeanor traffic violation approached him on foot, Tobias said. When the officer attempted to arrest Barnes, Tobias said, "Mr. Barnes did not cooperate and threatened" the officer.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - These are good times for Clippers forward Matt Barnes. He's playing on a winning team and he's playing a significant role off the bench. His 25.2 minutes per game is the third highest of his nine-year career. He's averaging 8.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. "So far, behind that Golden State season, this is the most fun I've had with the collective group of guys like this," said Barnes, who played with the Warriors in 2006-07 and 2007-08. "And we're playing good basketball.

The tide appeared to shift Friday night at Staples Center. Denver had just cut its deficit to one in the final minutes, and the Lakers needed someone who could provide them with a cushion. Yet, they faced a few constraints. Kobe Bryant remained sidelined for the fourth consecutive game because of a sore left shin. The Nuggets were fronting Andrew Bynum in the post and double teaming him if he did get an entry pass. And Pau Gasol also faced a swarming defense when the Lakers looked for him. But there stood Matt Barnes wide open on the perimeter.

It can be argued that Matt Barnes is playing the best of his 10-year career. At least that what the numbers say. Barnes is averaging a career-high 10.7 points. His 36.2% three-point shooting is the second highest in his career. And Barnes is doing all this as the backup small forward behind Caron Butler. "I think he's comfortable with his role on the team," Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said about Barnes. "I have a lot of confidence in him, and he's done a good job for us in a lot of different areas [with]

The less Matt Barnes plays in the playoffs, the better for the Lakers? It's starting to look that way. The Lakers' two biggest victories of the postseason heading into Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series Saturday night at Staples Center came with the struggling small forward playing 10 minutes or less. Barnes played 10 minutes Friday in Game 3, a three-point Lakers victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was on the court less than six minutes for the Lakers' Game 7 triumph against the Denver Nuggets in the first round.

The Lakers small forward who lingered the longest to work on his shooting Monday was the only one who can't help his team in the next two games. The suspended Metta World Peace slowly moved around the perimeter at the Lakers' practice facility, making shot after shot. Putting the ball into the basket hasn't been as routine for Matt Barnes and Devin Ebanks. Barnes has made six of 26 (23.1%) shots in the Lakers' first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, including only one of 14 (7.1%)

HOUSTON - It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that another Clipper is suffering from an injury. This time it's power forward Blake Griffin, who is dealing with a swollen left calf. And Matt Barnes suffered a sprained left ankle in the fourth quarter, limped to the locker room and never returned. Griffin's injury seemed to affect his play on Friday night at San Antonio, but he still played Saturday night against the Houston Rockets. "It's pretty swollen and it's pretty sore," Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said.

Lakers forward Matt Barnes is recovering well after right knee surgery and will play soon, but center Theo Ratliff might miss the rest of the season because of knee problems. Barnes might be able to play in early March, the team said. But the news isn't so good for Ratliff, who has been sidelined since having cartilage removed from his left knee Nov. 17. Ratliff recently got another opinion on his knee, putting him so far behind schedule that Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said the 6-11 center has to be monitored just to see "if he's going to play at all" the rest of this season.