Know your New Orleans Pelicans opponent: Harrison Barnes

Apr 7, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward

(40) drives past New Orleans Pelicans guard

(20) during a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Warriors 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

While the New Orleans Pelicans have taken on the Golden State Warriors four times this season the NBA playoffs are a different animal. Teams make more adjustments from game to game, the focus on individual players is more intense and things get harder. So what to the Pelicans have to worry about? We are breaking down the group of Warriors that will probably see the floor in important situations throughout the series so Pelicans fans can know what to expect. 

Early on in his basketball career Harrison Barnes was supposed to be the next big thing. Barnes was a high school star that was talked about in the same breath as Kobe Bryant. When he got to North Carolina Barnes continued to be praised, even though it wasn’t ever to the same level. When he entered the NBA Draft in 2012 he was drafted seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors and expected to be a big piece of the future for the team.

As it turns out Barnes still hasn’t developed into that star though his career is tracking up. With Mark Jackson gone and not turning Barnes into a post-up player, the third year wing had the best season of his career this season with a career high .573 true shooting percentage. Barnes thrived as a spot-up threat around Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and was able to attack closeouts off the dribble when they came out of control.

While he hasn’t been the player that the Warriors had hoped they would be getting when they drafted him Barnes has started to shed the bust label that approached him at times last season and turned into a very viable NBA starter.

Next: A corner killer