Harrison Barnes has never been mistaken for the most demonstrative guy. Even for him, though, his reaction upon learning that he had just enjoyed a career night with the San Antonio Spurs proved pretty understated.

Following a 126-119 victory vs. the Memphis Grizzlies, ClutchPoints asked the veteran forward if he was aware that the 31 points he had just poured in topped all of his scoring efforts since the summer of 2024.

Barnes shook his head initially.

Upon a ClutchPoints follow-up question, Barnes didn't say much more.

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“Man, that's nice.”

Harrison Barnes steps up for shorthanded Spurs

The 14th-year pro made 10 of the 20 shots he took, including 7-for-12 from 3-point range in the win vs. Memphis. He also grabbed five rebounds and dished out five assists in what marked the Spurs' fifth win in their last seven games. It's a stretch in which San Antonio has been without back-to-back Rookies of the Year Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.

ClutchPoints asked Barnes if he's making it a point to pick up the scoring slack with two of the team's best players sidelined with injury.

“No, I think the biggest thing that I try to do is just move without the basketball. I think there's enough people who can score,” Barnes said.

“I think if you look at the Denver game. The way Devin [Vassell] had an unbelievable fourth quarter, Julian [Champagnie] playing lights out. You know, even though we lost, I think the things that you can take from the Minnesota game, the way Keldon [Johnson] played, there's always somebody who can score the basketball.”

The former Golden State Warrior, Dallas Maverick, and most recently Sacramento King, whose overall career-high is 39, then went into detail about what he is looking to accomplish while his team eventually returns to full strength.

“I think my job is mostly to try to go in there and make good decisions, try to move without the basketball, try to just keep the continuity going,” Barnes shared. “Because, we have different lineups than what we are used to doing, or different play calls than we're used to doing, and trying to figure it out on the fly.”
In praising other teammates who've also stepped up in the absence of Wemby and Castle, the former North Carolina Tar Heel continued to downplay his contributions. His head coach doesn't see it that way.

“It was a frustrating start in terms of some attention to detail and some urgency in ways,” Mitch Johnson said of the Grizzlies game as he pivoted to Barnes.
“And he seems to always have a knack for stepping it up when we need it the most, especially when we're in that lull a little bit. He's a pro's pro.”

Barnes is averaging 13.3 points per game this year. That's higher than what he's averaged in either of the last two complete seasons. Since arriving in the Alamo City via trade two July's ago, he's not only played in every game, he's started every single one as well. He's proven a constant for a young team forging toward the playoffs. Especially when they've needed him most.