Matt Barnes says Clippers want to win so badly they’re overthinking

Small forward Matt Barnes says that the Clippers’ 0-3 preseason record may be due to the team wanting to win a bit too much.

“I think we want this so bad, we want this to be such a magical season, that our foot’s all the way on the gas right now,” he said.

When Clippers Coach Doc Rivers was told of that sentiment, he laughed.

“I haven’t seen that,” Rivers said. “I was hoping you’d say they were kind of just [messing] around. Now I’m kind of nervous.”

Rivers’ reaction is understandable considering that the Clippers haven’t played much defense and haven’t rebounded well in any of the exhibition games.

But Barnes said the Clippers feel they have something to prove after last season, when they were again eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. The Clippers have never made it to the Western Conference finals.

Barnes said that has left a bad taste in their mouths, causing the players to possibly be overthinking things on the court.

“We’ve been talking to ourselves about this a little bit lately,” Barnes said. “Everyone needs to just calm down and play basketball.”

Twitter: @melissarohlin