OAKLAND — Harrison Barnes has so much confidence in his potential that he turned down a four-year, $64 million contract extension offer from the Warriors back in September. At the time, it was a defensible decision. But through 17 playoff contests heading into Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, Barnes was averaging a measly 8.9 points on 40.1 percent shooting, a drop-off from his regular season numbers of 11.7 points per game and a 46.6 field-goal percentage. The seventh overall pick in 2012 was struggling so much that Warriors coach Steve Kerr decided to bench him in favor of Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder.
But in the Finals opener on Thursday, Barnes was back in the starting lineup and put Golden State in the driver’s seat early vs. the Cavs with seven of the Warriors’ first nine points on three field goals in the paint and a free throw. Later, his mid-range shot — conspicuously absent in the postseason so far — showed up. He finished with 13 points, the second-highest total among Warriors starters behind Draymond Green and ahead of both Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Barnes made six of his 10 field-goal attempts, added a rebound, two assists and a steal, didn’t turn the ball over once and was +7.
The story of Game 1 is how Shaun Livingston and the Warriors’ reserves rose to the occasion when shots from the normally-reliable Splash Brothers weren’t falling. But Barnes setting the tone early gave Golden State an early cushion that made Cleveland’s eventual run in the third quarter much more manageable.
After the win, Steve Kerr explained his decision to make Barnes a starter again.
“Last series was very unique. We felt like we needed to get Andre on the floor right away against [Kevin] Durant. This series we want to get a feel for how everything’s going.”
The first meeting in a seven-game series is often a feeling-out process. And after watching Barnes tie his playoff-high this season with 13 points, Kerr has all the evidence he needs to stick with his usual starting lineup.
“Harrison has started for two years, and it’s been a pretty good two years for us,” Kerr said. “We’ve had a good run. It’s been very effective playing the way we’ve played in terms of the lineup and the rotation.”
When Barnes plays to his potential, Kerr can keep Iguodala in his tailor-made role as leader of the second unit. Barnes’ performance allowed everything to fall in place for the Warriors, despite the struggles of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
Last year, Golden State won Game 1 at Oracle Arena then lost the next two, so this team knows to avoid premature celebrations. But it bodes well for the Warriors that they can convincingly beat the Cavs with no player scoring more than 20 points. The ‘Strength in Numbers’ slogan has been regurgitated so much that it’s easy to discount, but it’s much more than just a marketing tool. The Warriors won an NBA-record 73 regular-season games and are three victories away from a second straight title because they are much more than just a superstar-driven team.
“We’re human,” Thompson said after scoring nine points on 4-of-12 shooting. “That’s why we go by Strength In Numbers. It’s cliché, but I give the front office a ton of credit for building the team the way they built it. There’s so much depth. Guys may not play well one night, but their number is going to get called the next night.”
Barnes hadn’t been playing well for much more than one night. But sure enough, when his number was called he answered. When the supporting cast steps up, it gives Steph and Klay even more confidence to shoot at will, which is a key to their success. Knowing that personnel is in place to pick up the slack is a luxury that many stars around the league don’t enjoy. Think back to what LeBron had to do without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in last year’s Finals.
A reporter asked LeBron if his view of the series will change based on the Warriors getting more from their bench than the Splash Brothers. James quickly shot down the notion that Golden State has gotten to this point solely because of Curry and Thompson.
“I think you’re wrong in the fact of saying it was just Klay and Steph,” James said. “I mean, they got to the point where they were last year and won a championship because of their whole team and their bench. And they’re here once again in the Finals because of their whole team. So nothing has really changed.”
Nothing has changed, but if Barnes can continue to return to form and be a dependable option for Kerr, it makes the already-dangerous Warriors nearly unbeatable.