Harrison Barnes misses golden opportunity to punish former team

Barnes' game winner catches iron, series tied at 2-2

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Every once in a while, a shot is so much more than just a shot.

The Sacramento Kings faced this moment on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in San Francisco. More specifically, Harrison Barnes looked a 23-footer in the eye and missed the opportunity of a lifetime to crush the demons of his past by an inch or two.

Barnes may get another chance to put away his former teammates, but this one was set up on a platter. A player who was left behind while a dynasty rattled off three championships, could have staggered the champs and given his team a 3-1 advantage in a first round series.

If you think the moment was lost on Barnes, you are mistaken.

“After you learn to put yourself together after 2016, I think one shot is not going to necessarily faze you,” Barnes said following the Kings’ 126-125 loss to the Warriors in Game 4.

If you need a brief history lesson, Barnes won a ring playing alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala during the 2014-15 season. The following year, the Warriors were back in the Finals, but this time they came up short in a battle against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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