Harrison Barnes was on the 73-win Golden State Warriors team that did not win a title, so he knows about overcoming adversity more than anyone else on the San Antonio Spurs.
Despite playing on the late-Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings, Harrison Barnes has a track record of NBA success. He won a title in his third NBA season, starting 82 games for the Golden State Warriors.
Then, he followed up that effort as a key contributor on the 73-win 2016 Warriors. He still only has one ring, but he played on one of the best teams in NBA history.
That Warriors team didn't win the title despite being heavy favorites all season long. Barnes is taking that experience with sky-high expectations to the San Antonio Spurs.
Harrison Barnes Reveals How Spurs Can Bounce Back
Last year, no one expected the Spurs to topple the Thunder, win 62 games, and make the NBA Finals. They had the element of surprise. Heading into the season, the Spurs are now favorites.
So were the 2016 Warriors. Despite setting an NBA record with 73 wins, by losing the Finals, that team is remembered as a failure.
Barnes doesn't want a repeat of that.
"It's a matter of focus," he said. "I think when you come in with a certain level of expectation as a team, and you're able to win 60 games, everyone applauds you for that, right? If we were to happen to win 60 games this year, I don't think anyone would pat us on the back. I think that would probably be more expected. So I think for us, as I said, it's a matter of the focus that we have every single day, in terms of what our standard is that we're setting for ourselves, and comparing it against that."
The 2016 Warriors probably wouldn't have as big a place in NBA lore if they had won 55 games and repeated as champions instead of winning 73 and blowing a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers, although everyone on the roster would have preferred that.
The Spurs, like that Golden State team, are heading into the season with sky-high expectations. Barnes is just hoping history won't repeat itself.
