Back in 2013, Dirk Nowitzki promised to not shave his beard until his Mavericks reached .500. It took 121 days, but he was eventually able to shave his forest of facial hair by mid-April when the Mavericks reached 40-40.
Seven years later, Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes is on an identical path, as he promised to not cut or shave his hair until the Kings are back at .500 or until the season ends. It’s mid-February and the Kings are 21-32.
Harrison Barnes isn’t cutting his hair or shaving until the Kings hit .500 or the season ends. He made the vow in mid-December and looks pretty rugged these days.
— Tim MacMahon (@BannedMacMahon) February 12, 2020
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8fuumjBBzv
Plenty of teams over the years have made impressive runs after the All-Star break. The Kings, who put together a nice stretch just a few months back, are certainly capable of evening out their record this season.
But to say the odds are against them might be an understatement. Locker room turmoil, defensive struggles, and lackluster play have put a number of sizeable obstacles in front of them. Plus, they will be competing in the heavy and loaded Western Conference.
Things will have to change if the Kings are to turn their season around, starting with the play of Barnes — who is one of the franchise’s best players.
