By R.L. Bynum
Harrison Barnes continues to be the most consistent Tar Heel early in the NBA season.
It didn’t go well for his Sacramento Kings in a 137–106 loss at Golden State, but Barnes put together an 18-point, 9-rebound effort and his third game score of 16 or more.
Barnes has become a veteran leader on the team. After the game, Glenn Robinson II said that Barnes spoke to the team saying, “We’re better than that.”
Next up for the Kings is a good home matchup of UNC alums at 10 p.m. Wednesday against Coby White and the Chicago Bulls.
Playing the Charlotte Hornets appears to be to Danny Green’s liking.
After his worst game of the season New Year’s Eve at Orlando, he has played his best games of the season back-to-back against the Hornets with season-high totals 13 points and three 3-pointers in each game.
Monday, Green, who hit all three 3-pointers in the first half, added six rebounds, three assists and a steal and had a season-high plus/minus of +21 in the 76ers’ 118–101 victory. His 12.3 game score is a season high, with the first game against Charlotte the second-highest at 10.9.
Tony Bradley, who has played in only one game this season, was the only player on the Sixers’ active roster who didn’t play.
In the Orlando Magic’s 103–83 home win over Cleveland, Cole Anthony was 2 of 9 from the floor, scored nine points and dished out four assists against two turnovers. Anthony missed his first free-throw attempt of the season, going 4 of 5, after making all 15 attempts on the season before the game.
“I haven’t been shooting the ball well, but I just can’t let that get me down,” Anthony said after the game. “I’m still trying to rebound, still trying to make plays for my teammates and I’m going to try to keep taking good shots and, at some point, they’re going to fall. I’m in that gym every day getting shots up. I’m not going to lose confidence.”
Anthony continues to come off the bench, according to a story in The Athletic, because Orlando coach Steve Clifford wants to take a slow, deliberate approach with the rookie.
Wayne Ellington and Justin Jackson each played for only the second time this season. For a player to play in only two games and to have started one of them is odd but that’s the case for both.
In the Detroit Pistons’ seventh game, a 125–115 loss at Milwaukee, Ellington started and scored 13 points on 5 of 7 shooting from the floor and 3 of 4 shooting from 3-point range. He put up a 13.3 game score.
In the Oklahoma City Thunder’s sixth game, Jackson came off the bench in its 118–90 loss at Miami after starting in his one previous game. Jackson collected six points and seven rebounds and missed all five 3-point attempts.
How Tar Heels did Monday and when they play next
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
103–83 win vs. Cleveland — 21 minutes, 9 points, 2–9 FG, 1–2 3FG, 4–5 FT, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, +14, 5.3 game score
Season statistics — 7 games, 8.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 29.7FG%, 23.5%3P, 95.0FT
Up next —Wednesday vs. Cleveland, 7 p.m.; Friday at Houston, 8 p.m.
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings guard
137–106 loss at Golden State — 30 minutes, 18 points, 5–12 FG, 1–5 3FG, 7–8 FT, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, -16, 16.0 game score
Season statistics — 7 games, 16.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 46.7FG%, 30.8%3P, 80.0FT%
Up next — Wednesday vs. Chicago, 10 p.m.; Friday vs. Toronto, 10 p.m.
Tony Bradley, Philadelphia Sixers center/forward
118–101 win vs. Charlotte — Only active player on roster who didn’t play.
Season statistics — 1 game, 4.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 28.6 FG%, no 3-point or FT attemptsUp next — Wednesday vs. Washington, 7 p.m.; Thursday at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Reggie Bullock, New York Knicks guard/forward
113–108 win at Atlanta — 26 minutes, 7 points, 3–6 FG, 0–2 3FG, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, -2, 4.2 game score
Season statistics — 7 games, 8.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 35.5FG%, 30.8%3P, 57.1FT%
Up next — Wednesday vs. Utah, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Oklahoma City, 7:30 p.m.
Ed Davis, Minnesota Timberwolves center/forward
No game
Season statistics — 5 games, 1.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 21.4FG%, 0–0 3FG, 75.0FT%
Up next — Tuesday at Denver, 9 p.m.; Thursday at Portland, 10 p.m.
Wayne Ellington, Detroit Pistons guard
125–115 loss at Milwaukee — Started; 24 minutes, 13 points, 5–7 FG, 3–4 3FG, 0–0 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, -8, 13.3 game score
Season statistics — 2 games, 12.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 52.9FG%, 45.5 3P%, 1–1 FT
Up next — Wednesday at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.; Friday vs. Phoenix, 7 p.m.
Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers guard
118–101 win vs. Charlotte — 23 minutes, 13 points, 5–10 FG, 3–8 3FG, 0–0 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, +21, 12.3 game score
Season statistics — 7 games, 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 40.5FG%, 30.3 3P%, 80.0 FT%Up next — Wednesday vs. Washington, 7 p.m.; Thursday at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Justin Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder forward
118–90 loss at Miami — 19 minutes, 6 points, 2–7 FG, 0–5 3FG, 2–2 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, -19, 3.2 game score
Season statistics — 2 games, 7.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 38.5FG%, 0–8 3FG, 4–4 FT
Up next — Wednesday at New Orleans, 8 p.m.; Friday at New York, 7:30 p.m.
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns forward
No game
Season statistics — 7 games, 12.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 49.2FG%, 39.5%3P, 10–10 FT
Up next —Wednesday vs. Toronto, 9 p.m.; Friday at Detroit, 8 p.m.
Nassir Little, Portland Blazers forward/guard
No game
Season statistics — Hasn’t made season debut as he is working his way back after battling COVID-19
Up next — Tuesday vs. Chicago, 10:30 p.m., NBATV; Thursday vs. Minnesota, 10 p.m.
Theo Pinson, New York Knicks guard/forward
113–108 win at Atlanta — Didn’t play
Season statistics — 4 games, 0 points, 0.3 of an assist, 0–3 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1 rebound
Up next — Wednesday vs. Utah, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Oklahoma City, 7:30 p.m.
Coby White, Chicago Bulls point guard
No game
Season statistics — 7 games, 15.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 37.1FG%, 37.3%3P, 86.2 FT
Up next — Tuesday at Portland, 10:30 p.m., NBATV; Wednesday at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
What is a game score? Here is an exclamation.
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