Throughout the offseason, Blue Man Hoop will be reviewing the Golden State Warriors’ 2014-15 season with breakdowns of the performances of each individual player.
The Numbers
Harrison Barnes had his best season of his career in large part to due to Steve Kerr taking over the Golden State Warriors. He inserted Barnes into the starting lineup after coming off the bench last season behind Andre Iguodala. He thrived in the starting lineup averaging 10.1 points, grabbing 5.5 rebounds and contributing 1.4 assists per game. He shot almost 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range.
In the postseason, he increased his scoring average to 10.6 points per game and was key to the Warriors small ball lineup in their championship run.
The Positives
Barnes thrived in the starting lineup because he was able to play with better players. Last season, he was asked to lead the second unit but he was unable to carry the substitutes. Barnes really improved his jumper, which was evident throughout the season because he was among the league leaders in three-point field goal percentage. Other than Stephen Curry, he was the Warriors’ best option when they needed a corner three.
When teams started to honor his shooting ability, he became more aggressive and was able to get to the rim. Barnes has always been good for highlight dunks and he did not disappoint this season.
Jun 14, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) handles the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes (40) during the third quarter in game five of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
On the defensive end, he was pivotal to the Warriors’ success especially when it came to their small ball lineup. His versatility and length allowed him to guard small forwards and power forwards, guarding everyone from LeBron James to Zach Randolph. His length allowed him to switch on all pick and rolls, which was one of the many attributes of the team that made it so successful on the defensive end of the court.
The future is very bright for Barnes, who should continue to improve every season and according to Jim Barnett, he will be an All-Star. That is good enough for me.
The Negatives
Barnes, at times, gets lost in the flow of the game. When you play with the likes of Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, that will happen at times. When this happens, Barnes becomes passive and does not look for his shot.
When he becomes passive on the offensive end, it sometimes contributes to his defensive mindset. He really struggles against athletic small forwards and it was never more evident than in the NBA Finals against LeBron James. Luckily for the Warriors, there are not many players as athletic as James so Barnes should be fine on defense.
Best Moment
In Game 5 of the NBA Finals with the series tied at two and the Warriors up 73-69 in the 4th quarter, Shaun Livingston found a streaking Barnes for a left-handed throw down over Timofey Mozgov. The Oracle crowd erupted and give the Warriors some breathing room, ultimately pulling away and winning the game, 104-91.