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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: ROCKETS v WARRIORSMay 20, 2015Harrison BarnesOAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: Practice Day HARRISON BARNES: We just get out and run more. Obviously we're a little small on defense, but offensively I think with our guys we can space the three‑point line, we get into a lot of switches, and we (inaudible). Q. What did you learn from the Memphis series? I guess that was the first time you really went into the lineup in the Playoffs. What did you guys get out of that series? HARRISON BARNES: I think our communication and just how connected we are on defense got so much better. I mean, obviously anybody that's legit post players, our rotation needs to be tight, otherwise they get easy baskets. I thought we did a good job of staying connected and we got a lot of confidence that this plan can actually work against a real team. Q. How much more comfortable are you guys with this style of play versus Memphis's style of play? HARRISON BARNES: This is our game right here. It's so much different. The Memphis series was kind of like you walk it up every single time, (inaudible), so we kind of have to dig out, and that first half was like, wow, it goes back and forth, back and forth, wild threes, dunks, plays, and that took us a little while to get adjusted, but once we got of got our stride we were all right. Q. Harden had a stretch in the second half where he was just going off but you were playing good defense. When he's doing that, is there something else you guys can do to slow him down or you've just got to say, hey, that's James Harden, he's the MVP runner‑up? HARRISON BARNES: I mean, you've got to give him credit for those shots. Obviously Klay did a tremendous job on him. He's taking tough, contested twos and we're giving him good help. Q. (Inaudible.) HARRISON BARNES: For sure. I mean, there's always obviously a lot of attack, and he's the best 2 guard in the game. I know Klay takes that match‑up very personally. Obviously he has a lot of pride in defending. When he's going like that‑‑ it's good to see him play like that and take it personal. Q. Can you explain how (inaudible)? HARRISON BARNES: Man, I mean, I thought I was going to get there, I just got on the edge and ran out of talent. I just couldn't quite get to the rim. But that was one of my favorite lay‑ups of all time. Q. (Inaudible.) HARRISON BARNES: That was started by Jim bar net I think my rookie year. We were just doing interviews, and he just always said, the way I answer questions is like a politician. I don't give him anything. He's always been a good friend of mine. I appreciate the nickname. It's just something I guess that's carried on. Q. (Inaudible.) HARRISON BARNES: Maybe down the line, maybe it'll be something I do, go back to Iowa and do that, but right now just trying to be a hooper. Q. What does starting mean to you this year? Steve put you out there and said go do your thing. What did that mean and how did that help you? HARRISON BARNES: Well, it meant a lot. He obviously believed in me a lot, especially coming off last year, it was a tough year for me, so to be able to come into the year kind of him allowing me to start, kind of give me a little bit of freedom and then just kind of building off that, that meant a lot to me, and I think it's really helped my game. Q. Why do you think (inaudible)? HARRISON BARNES: It's just a lot of things. Obviously we had a lot of coaching changes during the year. Coming off the bench was a little different, different system, and adjusting to that, and then just being a lot of iso situations, it was just kind of hard to get any momentum going, so I think I really struggled with that and let it get to me a little bit. Q. What did Steve tell you in your first sit‑down with him when he first took over? Do you remember that conversation? HARRISON BARNES: Yeah, I do. He came out, we went to eat in Miami, and he's talking about the team, and I didn't know if I was still going to be on the team, like I might get traded, man, and he seemed like a great guy, but he just told me, like look, if you are on this team again and you're playing with us, there's going to be a lot more ball movement, so I'm going to put you in a lot of different situations, there's not going to be as many iso situations. I think you moving, coming off cuts, screens, that type of stuff is going to be better for you, so you just believe in what we're doing, and I think you have a chance to be successful. Q. Did he promise you that you'd be here? HARRISON BARNES: No, he didn't promise me that I'd be here. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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