TORONTO — Harrison Barnes doesn’t waste time: He launched the Mavericks’ first two shot attempts Friday, and he finished the first quarter with eight shots. He hit just two of them, going 1-of-5 behind the 3-point line. That, coming from someone who hasn’t played real basketball in a month, is all right.



I watched Barnes run through aggressive workouts after Wednesday’s shootaround when the rest of the team had returned to their Atlanta hotel, only to come back hours later and get in more on-court work during his normal pregame workout time. Health-wise, it looked like he could have played in that game, but you never rush hamstring injuries. Coach Rick Carlisle lauded Barnes in that respect; on a team full of workout warriors, Barnes has taken Dirk Nowitzki’s mantle. (Not that Nowitzki is any less tireless, to be clear.) Carlisle acknowledged that Barnes was not in game shape, but also added: “If it was virtually any other NBA player,...