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'Smart' Veteran Is Just An Added Bonus for Overpowered Spurs
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- 'Smart' Veteran Is Just An Added Bonus for Overpowered Spurs
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The San Antonio Spurs blew out the Utah Jazz on Monday night, winning 119-97. ON their third possession, the Spurs jumped out to a three-point lead and never looked back, with all five starters (plus Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes) scoring in double figures.
Dylan Harper led the way for San Antonio with 17 points, but it was clearly a team effort. Both Barnes and Johnson had their best game of the season, with the veterans scoring 13 and 15 points, respectively.
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Barnes missed the last two games simply because Mitch Johnson opted not to play him, but he immediately showed why he's still a pro, knocking down three 3-pointers and goading the young Brice Sensabaugh into committing a flagrant foul in the fourth quarter.
Were the two free throws needed to put the Spurs on top? Nope, but Barnes relishes being the savviest guy on the floor.
READ MORE: De'Aaron Fox Takes Over as Spurs' Second-Best Player
READ MORE: Spurs' Superstar Dylan Harper 'Takes Pride' In Being a Sidekick
READ MORE: Spurs Cruise Past Utah Jazz, Show Off Their Biggest Weapon
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Harrison Barnes Proves How Deep the Spurs Are
Barnes is in his third season with the Spurs. Originally traded to San Antonio in exchange for nothing so that the Kings could make room to add DeMar DeRozan, he started his Spurs' tenure as an 82-game starter.
Last season, though, he got moved to the bench in favor of Julian Champagnie, and saw his usage slowly decline. Even in a smaller role, he provides immense value on and off the court, and the Spurs inked him to a new, one-year contract worth $8 million. That's a slight overpay for someone who isn't guaranteed to see the floor in any given game, but the Spurs are paying for his experience.
"It's shown up in a variety of ways now in his three seasons with us: Maturity, professionalism, consistency, those words at times don't get enough value in this league for a lot of reasons, and he's the epitome of them," said Mitch Johnson.
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"And our team needs to make sure that we continue to value that because it's something that needs to be had to raise that floor and to be more consistent on some of those things we're talking about."
Remember, the Spurs are still one of the younger teams in the NBA, and Barnes provides them with a much-needed steady hand, who can be counted on to step up when his number is called.
"I think just his attention to detail and his voice, even when he's not playing, I think he's such a smart basketball player," praised Stephon Castle.
"I feel like you can plug him into any kind of lineup at any time of the game, whether the other team's going on a run or we're trying to sustain one. I feel like he keeps the level pretty high, so I think having a vet like that, especially with how deep our team is, is definitely a luxury to have him with us."
