Harrison Barnes gets snarky with Warriors fans

Most athletes and coaches make nothing but mundane comments after games. They just watched the same game as everyone else, and although the athletes and coaches often have more nuanced observations, they rarely offer to share those insights. So, the insiders often end up providing basic, fact-based quotes that could come from anyone.

For an example, just look at a few Warriors after their 109-103 win over the Lakers last night.

Golden State coach Mark Jackson:

We’ve played 72 games and the survey says that we are the better basketball team. That can’t be debated – through 72 games.

Makes sense. The Warriors are 41-31, and the Lakers are 36-35.

Klay Thompson:

“When you hold a team under 40 percent shooting it’s a good night. They’re a good team and we just played our defense.”

Exactly. The Lakers shot 39.6 percent, so Thompson speaks the truth.

Jarrett Jack:

We stopped being an aggressive, attacking team. We started playing half-court basketball and it’s kind of a tale of two halves.

Golden State scored 63 points in the first half and 46 in the second half, supporting Jack’s straight-forward claim.

Harrison Barnes:

Thanks to all the Warrior fans that came out to support is tonight. Big time road win!

Again, right on. Golden State won for the 24th time at Oracle Arena in Oakland, home of the – hey, wait a minute!

Very tricky move, Mr. Barnes.

According to the NBA, the Warriors played a home game Tuesday. According to the mood in the California arena, well, it’s up for a little more debate.

Barnes is following the lead of Pacers guard George Hill, who also voiced displeasure with hometown fans supporting the Lakers. Hill ended up clarifying and softening his comments, and I suspect Barnes will eventually do the same.

There’s no perfect way for Barnes – who comes across a little hypocritically, unless he’s willing to accept less money on his next contract to show his loyalty to the Warriors – to voice his displeasure with Warriors fans selling their tickets to Lakers fans. The Lakers are more popular than the Warriors due to years of winning and marketing, and it’s unfair to ask Warriors fans to sacrifice money to instantaneously change that. If a Lakers fan offered significant money for a ticket and I were a Warriors fan, I’d sell my ticket. Because the Lakers have such a large fan base, it’s more likely there will be Lakers fans willing to pay whatever amount the hometown fans consider significant.

Barnes just has to realize his tweet reflects poorly on the fans who did support him. The Warriors fans in attendance are the ones who come out looking badly, as they’re blamed for being inadequate, but it’s not their fault other Warriors fans didn’t show up or sold their tickets to Lakers fans.