Warriors' Barnes upgraded to doubtful for Christmas showdown

Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes is nearing his return, and with some luck, the 23-year-old might actually be able to play in Friday's rematch of the NBA Finals.

Barnes - who has missed nearly a month with a sprained ankle - has been upgraded to "doubtful" for the premier Christmas Day game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Coupled with Wednesday's report that there's a "slight chance" of Barnes making his return, the talented swingman is finally making progress in his laborious recovery.

Barnes has sat out the Warriors' last 11 games on account of his sprained left ankle. The team has fared just fine, going 10-1 in that stretch, but Barnes' true value has been glaring in several of the Warriors' close calls.

It's the versatility of Barnes' game that the 27-1 Warriors miss most. His ability to guard wings and bigs, coupled with his mobility, size, strength, and reliable spot-up shooting, has made Barnes a tremendous fourth option in the Warriors' attack.

And, of course, Barnes is a member of the Warriors' famed death lineup, in which he assumes the role of power forward in a deadly five-out unit that the league has yet to solve.

Having an extra wing to throw at LeBron James would be a bonus, although Andre Iguodala will likely get that assignment.

But then again, there's no sense in rushing Barnes back before he's healthy - especially if he'll be asked to stop a freight train like James. The Warriors - as James pointed out - have been one of the league's healthiest teams since the start of last season, but that's in large part because they diligently monitor their players' workload.

The fourth-year forward is averaging 13.4 points and five rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field this season.