HoopsVibe

“According to a brief report from KGO-TV, during a Pro-Am game between Barnes’ Dream Team and East Bay at the Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco, Barnes punched a member of the East Bay team. But since an official didn’t catch the altercation, play continued after a break and Barnes was not ejected. As of Friday morning, it appears no one has posted a video of the punch, but one fan at the game did capture the incident’s aftermath and members of both teams retreating to their own benches.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Get in a fight. Hit the game-winning shot.

Players who can do both are rare. And this is the reason contenders covet Matt Barnes. One moment he's scrapping. The next he's a stone-cold assassin.    

Bottom line: top teams love Barnes' edge.

Remember, his 'edge’ made him a cult-hero with the ‘We Believe’ Golden State Warriors when they upset the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks.

Orlando Magic fans took to his 'edge’ when he declared viral jihad against Lamar Odom and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Those same Lakers showered him and his 'edge’ with praise when, as a member of the purple-and-gold, he went at the Mavs’ Jason Terry on-and-off court.

No team will publicly condone Barnes initiating a donnybrook at a Pro-Am match. Privately, behind closed doors, it's a different story.

Best of all, it wasn't a fan, right Mike Beasley? Watch the videos of Barnes’ altercation and game-winning shot and then get at HoopsVibe News with thoughts in the comment box below.

(Barnes scrapping.) 

(Barnes hits game-winning shot.)

--Oly Sandor.