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Luke Walton wants Harrison Barnes taking 8 threes a game this season

Barnes teammates weren't surprised by the veteran's performance against the Blazers and Walton wants him aggressive like that all the time.
By | 39 Comments | Oct 21, 2021

Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Harrison Barnes is usually working out three to four hours before games and he gets his lifts in during the early morning hours or before practice. This is according to De’Aaron Fox, who said Barnes told him he has been on this routine since he was a rookie. Barnes likes to go through full workouts to get a sweat in and calm down a little before games.

Fox said Barnes’ work ethic has been this way since he arrived in Sacramento. This is why Richaun Holmes wasn’t surprised when the 29-year-old dropped a career-high 36 points on the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday night.

“Harrison, everybody on the team will tell you, he’s always putting his work in. He’s getting his work in early, late, so we expect that from him. The amount of work he puts in we expect nothing less from him,” Holmes said. “He can be that type of player for us every night without a doubt and we have the ultimate trust in him.”

Barnes shot a blistering 8-11 from three (a career high for threes) in the win over Portland to go along with 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. The Kings would certainly be starting the season 0-1 without him.

Check out the highlights here:

 

Head coach Luke Walton said after the game that he wants Barnes taking a lot of threes this season.

“One of the things I’ve challenged Harrison on all summer and even last year, is we need him to be aggressive, and I don’t mean that as go one on one and take a bunch of shots, but I’ve challenged Harrison. I want him getting eight threes up a night. He’s a very good shooter and there’s no reason he can’t make those shots,” Walton said. “We needed all of those points tonight and that’s really how we want to see Harrison playing all the time. Some nights they’ll go, some nights they won’t, but we definitely want him taking those shots and he was a big reason why we won tonight.”

Barnes hit the 40% mark from three twice in his career (2014-15 and 2018-19). In 2014-15, he only took 2.6 threes per game. In 2018-19, that 40 percent did come in only 28 games with the Kings after he arrived in Sacramento. In the 49 games he played with the Dallas Mavericks in that season, he shot the most threes per game of his career – 6.3 per game. (He went 38% on those shots.)  Overall, he had the seventh best three-point percentage among all small forwards that season. Last season, Barnes ranked 17th among all small forwards in three-point percentage at 39%. His career average is 37%.

Barnes is a very good, versatile basketball player and helps put pressure on defenses, especially when he is on the floor with Fox. Him taking eight threes a game would certainly be a change for him and this team. If he can get back to the 40% mark, or slightly above though, it would open the lane up even more for Fox and the offense.

Barnes is a hard worker who understands and accepts his role. Sometimes he can defer a little too much to the primary scorers on the team and does get beat occasionally on defense, but generally, him being aggressive the way he was Wednesday is always going to be a positive for the team. On nights when Tyrese Haliburton isn’t on from a scoring perspective (like last night), or Fox is struggling, having the ability to rely on Barnes to fill the scoring void is very much needed.

If he can stay healthy and keep up steady production, he could be a big factor if this team is going to get better this season.

Watch the full media sessions below.

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RobHessing
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October 21, 2021 3:19 pm

8 x 82 games would be more than he has taken during his entire 158 games in Sac. (not counting yesterday). That said, his biggest volume year was the 18-19 year that he split between Dallas and here, converting 174 – 441, a .395 clip.

MichaelMack
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October 21, 2021 3:54 pm
Reply to  RobHessing

I sure would take that 18-19 clip and percentage this year. It sure goes a long way to opening up the middle for Fox and Holmes to do their thing.

Carl
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October 21, 2021 4:06 pm
Reply to  RobHessing

8 x 82 games would be more than he has taken during his entire 158 games in Sac. (not counting yesterday).

Luke Walton:
comment image

Last edited 2 years ago by Carl
Bluejohn
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October 22, 2021 11:17 am
Reply to  Carl

This is what section214 told me over at the old site when I joined in 2008 just before analytics and advanced stats swept the NBA.

Kosta
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October 21, 2021 4:55 pm
Reply to  RobHessing

8 x 98 games

I want him taking them in those last 16 as well.

Last edited 2 years ago by Kosta
andy_sims
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October 21, 2021 4:13 pm

Barnes is a pro, and a definite asset to have around to show newer guys how to have a career in the NBA. He’s reliable, on the court and off, and I’m confident that I’m never going to hear him airing out team business in the media.

Barnes is an adult.

AnybodyButBagley
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October 21, 2021 9:14 pm
Reply to  andy_sims

Once again…so profound.

RikSmits
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October 21, 2021 5:10 pm

Ah, now that is the Luke Walton we all know and despise. Throwing up inane individual goals and numbers, devoid of context.

Bitgod
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October 21, 2021 5:33 pm

HB, the stretch 4 we always wanted.

TerzoM
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October 21, 2021 6:52 pm

Barnes vs Nurkic next game

Flying Marvel Studios GIF by Disney+ - Find & Share on GIPHY

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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Nostradumbass 14
October 21, 2021 7:09 pm

Not sure if this has been shared here or elsewhere, but you all have to watch this:

Kosta
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October 21, 2021 7:19 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

This church is pretty cool with cussing!

Kosta
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October 21, 2021 7:24 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

Haha, thanks for sharing that, Adam!

I think when we finally do make the playoffs, many non-Kings fans will hop on our bandwagon to root for the Kings with us because we will be the cinderella team that has been miserable for so many years.

Last edited 2 years ago by Kosta
deepshot22
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October 21, 2021 8:13 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

I feel so many things watching this. Mostly, WHAT THE HOLY FUCK. But also, this sweet calmness that there’s hope for me.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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October 21, 2021 8:21 pm
Reply to  deepshot22

To me, I felt that if TKH were support meet up in a church, this is totally what it would look like.

Tunel_21
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October 22, 2021 5:50 am
Reply to  Adamsite

The best part is when they are all arguing and someone randomly yells “Darius Songalia” 😂

andy_sims
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October 22, 2021 7:05 am
Reply to  Adamsite

I had not seen that, thanks for sharing! Two things:

Who made this? It’s so good!

It would seem that I AM ROOSTER.

Vlade couldn’t re-sign with the Lakers fast enough! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE TALKING ABOUT THIS?

1951
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October 22, 2021 7:38 am
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That’s fantastic!

RobHessing
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October 22, 2021 8:49 am
Reply to  Adamsite

OMFG

KingOfTheMonsters
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October 22, 2021 9:28 am
Reply to  Adamsite

Yep.

Sacto_J
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October 22, 2021 10:29 am
Reply to  Adamsite

Take all my “likes” today, sir, this is excellence…

catterj
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October 22, 2021 7:06 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

comment image

1951
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October 21, 2021 7:32 pm

“Luke says … “ is my queue to ignore whatever comes next!

RighteousandHopeful
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October 21, 2021 11:19 pm

OT: Undefeated Sacramento is listed seventh in the West standings. Damn you, alphabet!

Kosta
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October 22, 2021 2:35 am

What if we drop the ‘S’?

Acramento?

02kingsfan
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October 22, 2021 5:55 am

I am trying to see if “Barnes taking 8 three pointers per night” is on the same level of idiocy as “I want Hield to dribble the ball up the court as much as possible”. I thought one of Barnes biggest criticism has always been not efficient when asked to be the 2nd/3rd scoring option for his team?

RikSmits
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October 22, 2021 6:25 am
Reply to  02kingsfan

That was in the past. This season everything is better.

Greg
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October 22, 2021 8:31 am
Reply to  RikSmits

comment image

andy_sims
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October 22, 2021 8:45 am
Reply to  Greg

Having a hard time reading this with all of that clattering going on.

RobHessing
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October 22, 2021 8:51 am
Reply to  02kingsfan

The odd thing about Barnes’ history is that he was at his best from deep when he was shooting it at a higher volume. He may be the poster child for today’s NBA: at the rim or behind the arc and nothing in between.

Kangz_Landing
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October 22, 2021 8:55 am
Reply to  02kingsfan

It’s not idiocy when the “elite” shooter on your team shoots 39% on 10 attempts per game with a few of those being of the chuck variety, while a smart offensive player who doesn’t force shots shoots 39% on roughly 4.5 attempts in his Kings career.

Ppl saying he can’t be efficient with higher volume are still looking at Dallas Barnes who loved the midrange, but that isn’t him anymore. He works attacking the rim, shooting 3s, and taking advantage of mismatches in the post and in the paint as he’s gotten older and stronger now. If this version of Barnes is the 2nd option then I think we’ll be alright and he’ll easily have a career year.

Last edited 2 years ago by Kangz_Landing
eddie41
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October 22, 2021 9:07 am

They seem to have a good rapport: Barnes and Walton.

1951
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October 22, 2021 9:12 am
Reply to  eddie41

I’ll say this about Luke Walton, he is good at building rapport.

Clearly, he has developed good rapport with Fox, Barnes, Holmes, and losing.

Hamlet1989
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October 22, 2021 3:13 pm
Reply to  1951

True, but only from a purely factual standpoint.

TheGrantNapear
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October 22, 2021 9:34 am

Kings could go 82-0 and fans would still be complaining about Luke.

1951
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October 22, 2021 9:39 am
Reply to  TheGrantNapear

Luke Walton:

26          56          .317       
35          47          .427       
37          45          .451       
31          41          .431       
31          41          .431

TheGrantNapear:

I can’t believe fans are still complaining about Luke!

Hamlet1989
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October 22, 2021 3:17 pm
Reply to  1951

The only # that matters is 1-0!

RobHessing
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October 22, 2021 10:15 am
Reply to  TheGrantNapear

Let’s pick this discussion back up at 82-0.

Malrock
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October 22, 2021 11:01 am
Reply to  RobHessing

Disappointed in you Rob we need to be 98-0. No first round playoff exit after an undefeated season!

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