By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-03-02 14:42:32
2026年3月1日，周日，在纽约举行的一场NBA常规赛上半场中，纽约尼克斯队的奥古阿·阿奴诺比 (Og Anunoby)（右）过掉圣安东尼奥马刺队的哈里森·巴恩斯 (Harrison Barnes) 突破篮下。(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
费城——一个月后，马刺队主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 已经记不清那次谈话的具体细节了。
当到了要通知前锋哈里森·巴恩斯 (Harrison Barnes) 将他移出首发阵容时，约翰逊觉得这与过去一年他同维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama)、斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 或德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 进行的类似谈话并无二致。
“我们对很多球员都这样做过，”约翰逊说，“没有什么让我觉得这与我们今年有时对整个阵容所做的决定有何不同。”
当然，这确实有所不同。
当约翰逊在1月31日对阵夏洛特的比赛中将巴恩斯调整为替补时，这标志着这位33岁的老将自2016年1月以来，第一次在出战的比赛中没有首发。
这终结了他横跨十年、效力过四支球队（金州勇士、达拉斯独行侠、萨克拉门托国王和圣安东尼奥马刺）的连续775场首发纪录。
巴恩斯本可以对降级感到不满，本可以推诿，本可以觉得自己受到了轻视。
相反，巴恩斯的反应充分体现了他目前在职业生涯中所处的位置，以及在他第14个NBA赛季接近尾声时，什么才是最重要的。
“我们都有各自的角色，核心目标是赢球，”巴恩斯说，“所以这只是试图找到影响比赛的方法，继续发声，尽我的一份力量，为胜利做出贡献。”
随着马刺队于周二在费城结束他们为期九场的“牛仔之旅” (Rodeo Road Trip)，巴恩斯将继续从容地扮演这一角色。
目前的阵容配置让约翰逊能够让神射手朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 和瓦塞尔在开场时同时登场。
尤其是瓦塞尔，自一个月前取代巴恩斯进入首发阵容以来，他的表现有所提升。
“他毫无怨言地接受了自己的角色，”本赛季早些时候在伤愈复出期间曾担任过九场替补的文班亚马说道，“这一过程非常顺利。这也让德文展现出了一些很棒的东西。”
正如预期的那样，自角色改变以来，巴恩斯的大部分数据都有所下降。
在离开首发阵容后的11场比赛中，巴恩斯场均出战20.1分钟，得到8.1分。他的三分命中率小幅上升至40.5%，高于他担任首发时的37%。
巴恩斯作为替补表现最好的一场比赛是在2月5日对阵达拉斯，那场比赛他得到19分，帮助马刺队取得胜利。
在过去的四场比赛中，巴恩斯总共得到17分。他在周日对阵纽约的比赛中表现不佳，仅得3分并出现两次失误，在那场惨不忍睹的89-114负于尼克斯的比赛中。
作为10年来首次担任替补的一个月后，巴恩斯承认他仍在寻找节奏。
“我们有这么多不同的球员进出轮换阵容，尝试了不同的阵容和战术，”巴恩斯说，“我认为在赛季剩下的时间里，我们还会有很多不同的变化，这实际上就是在进攻体系中把握住呈现给你的机会。当我们脱离体系时，我认为不仅是我，任何人的处境都会变得更难。”
尽管如此，巴恩斯始终保持着昂扬的斗志。他知道年轻球员们都在注视着他。
当被要求评价巴恩斯为马刺队第二阵容带来了什么时，新秀后卫迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 毫不犹豫地回答道。
“老将领导力，”哈珀说，“你能看到他的沉稳，以及他如何始终保持如一。他会尽可能地把自己的经验传授给我们。他从不回避，总是想提供帮助。”
约翰逊对巴恩斯的表现并不感到意外，巴恩斯正处于合同的最后一年，本赛季的薪水为1900万美元。
“哈里森·巴恩斯是你梦寐以求的那种极具职业素养且优秀的更衣室老将，”约翰逊说道。
虽然首发纪录已告终结，但巴恩斯仍有一项“铁人”纪录需要保持。
巴恩斯已经连续出战了364场比赛，这是NBA目前现役第二长的纪录。排名第一的是纽约的米卡尔·布里奇斯 (Mikal Bridges)，他在周日对阵马刺队的比赛中完成了连续第614次登场。
榜单上排名第三的是尚帕尼，他已经连续参加了163场比赛。
对于巴恩斯来说，接下来的目标很明确。
无论是首发还是替补，他都致力于重返季后赛，这将是他自2016年离开勇士队以来仅有的第二次季后赛之旅。
“他想赢，”哈珀说，“如果你这些年来一直关注他，就会发现他只想赢球。为了赢球，他愿意付出一切。这是他最突出的特质。”
对于这位终结了巴恩斯NBA首发纪录的主教练来说，赢球也是唯一重要的事情。
约翰逊认为巴恩斯史诗级的首发纪录是值得致敬的成就。为了马刺队以及他们即将到来的季后赛之旅，这也是一个值得终止的纪录。
无需多言。
“这极好地提醒了我们哈里森在这个联盟中所取得的成就，他能担任那么久的首发并保持这种水平的稳定性，”约翰逊说，“至于他是否在这支球队担任首发，这仅仅是因为他过去的成就而产生的话题点罢了。”
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：Why Harrison Barnes still has value as a bench player
Why Harrison Barnes still has value as a bench player
New York Knicks’ Og Anunoby, right, drives to the basket past San Antonio Spurs’ Harrison Barnes during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
PHILADELPHIA — A month later, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson doesn’t remember the specifics of the conversation.
When it came time to inform forward Harrison Barnes that he was moving to the bench, it didn’t seem any different than similar talks Johnson had with the likes of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle or Devin Vassell over the past year.
“We’ve had a lot of guys we’ve done that with,” Johnson said. “There was nothing there that made me feel any different than what we’ve done with almost the whole roster at times this year.”
Except of course this was different.
When Johnson shifted Barnes to the bench for a Jan. 31 game in Charlotte, it marked the first game the 33-year-old had played but not started since January of 2016.
That snapped a streak of 775 consecutive starts spanning one decade and four teams: Golden State, Dallas, Sacramento and San Antonio.
Barnes could have pouted at the demotion. He could have pushed back. He could have allowed himself to feel slighted.
Instead, Barnes’ reaction spoke volumes about where he is at this point in his career, and what is at stake as he nears the end of his 14th NBA season.
“We all occupy a role and the main focus is winning,” Barnes said. “So it’s just trying to figure out ways to impact the game, to still be vocal, to do my part, to help contribute to winning.”
It is a role Barnes will continue to play with aplomb as the Spurs conclude their nine-game rodeo road trip Tuesday in Philadelphia.
The current lineup configuration allows Johnson to get sharpshooters Julian Champagnie and Vassell on the floor together to start the game.
Vassell in particular has seen his production increase in the month since replacing Barnes in the starting five.
“He accepted his role with no problem,” said Wembanyama, who earlier this season played nine games as a reserve while coming back from injury. “It’s been smooth. It’s also allowed Devin to show some great things.”
As expected, most of Barnes’ numbers have dipped since his role change.
In 11 games since being bumped from the starting lineup, Barnes is averaging 8.1 points in 20.1 minutes per night. His 3-point percentage is up slightly to 40.5%, an uptick from the 37% he was converting as a starter.
Barnes’ best game as a bench player came Feb. 5 against Dallas, when he scored 19 points in a Spurs victory.
Over the past four games, Barnes has totaled 17 points. He did not play well Sunday in New York, scoring three points with two turnovers in an ugly 114-89 loss to the Knicks.
One month into his first stint as a bench player in 10 years, Barnes acknowledged he is still finding his footing.
“We’ve had so many different players in and out the rotation, different lineups, different things that we’ve worked with,” Barnes said. “I think that we’re going to have a lot of different variations as we go through the rest of the season, and it really is just about taking the shots that are presented to you within the offense. When we get outside of that, I think it makes it not only harder for myself, but just anybody.”
Through it all, Barnes has kept his head up. He knows younger eyes are on him.
Asked to assess what Barnes brings to the Spurs’ second unit, rookie guard Dylan Harper did not hesitate.
“Vet leadership,” Harper said. “You see his poise and how he stays the same all the time. He kind of just gives us his experience, however he can help. He never shies away from that. He always just wants to help.”
Johnson expected nothing less from Barnes, who is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $19 million this season.
“Harrison Barnes is as professional and as good of a veteran as you could want in your locker room,” Johnson said.
Though his starting string is kaput, Barnes still has an iron man streak to maintain.
Barnes has appeared in 364 consecutive games, the NBA’s second-longest active streak. The top spot belongs to New York’s Mikal Bridges, who made his 614th straight appearance Sunday against the Spurs.
Third on the list is Champagnie, who has played in 163 games in a row.
For Barnes, the goal from here is clear.
Whether starting or coming off the bench, he has his sights set on a return to the postseason for only the second time since leaving the Warriors in 2016.
“He wants to win,” Harper said. “If you’ve watched him over the years, he just wants to win. He’ll do whatever it takes to win. That’s what stands out the most.”
To the coach who ended Barnes’ run as an NBA starter, that’s all that matters too.
Johnson sees Barnes’ epic starting streak as an accomplishment worth saluting. For the sake of the Spurs and their upcoming playoff run, it was also a streak worth stopping.
No further conversation required.
“It’s a great reminder of what Harrison has done in this league that he’s been starting for that long and had that level of consistency,” Johnson said. “As far as him starting for this team, it’s only a conversational piece because of what he’s done before.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News