J.J. Barea returned to Dallas with the Timberwolves Monday night for the third time since he left the world champion Mavericks in 2011, but tonight is the first time here will play here in Dallas against his old mates.
"It's always special, man, always special," Barea said. "This is where everything started for me. I've got a special place in my heart for this place and it's always good to be back."
Barea said he doesn't expect to hear any boos, even for a guy the other team's fans usually love to hate.
"I don't know if they'll ever hate me in Dallas," he said. "But the way I play, the way maybe I get some calls, stuff like that, maybe it happens."
Barea said he is feeling "pretty good" after playing 19 minutes Sunday in San Antonio, his first game back after missing two games because of back spasms.
A couple other things:
* Terry Porter will coach his fifth straight game for absent head coach Rick Adelman, who remains in the Twin Cities reside his wife Mary Kay who is hospitalized there.
* Former Wolves exec Tony Ronzone is in the house tonight. He scouts now for the Mavericks, the team that gave him his first NBA chance.
