By R.L. Bynum
All the attention in Brooklyn was on James Harden’s triple-double in his Nets debut. But in their 122–115 victory over the Orlando Magic, Cole Anthony had his best game of the season with season highs in assists, 3-pointers, steals and game score.
Anthony scored 16 points but the key numbers in his fifth NBA start were the eight assists against only one turnover. He made a pair of 3-pointers, swiped three steals and blocked a shot. Anthony’s game score of 15.9 was only his second double-digit score. The previous one was the 12.3 he put up coming off the bench in a win at Washington on Dec. 27.
Anthony executed the same play three times to produce points:
Orlando took an 84–83 lead into the fourth quarter. But with Anthony on the bench for the first 5½ minutes of the final period, Brooklyn took a 102–98 lead and never trailed again. The Magic fell to 0–5 since Markelle Fultz’s season-ending injury made Anthony the starting point guard.
Harden had 32 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists but couldn’t close out on one Anthony jumper:
After only playing in one of the Detroit Pistons’ first six games, Wayne Ellington has started four of the last six and two consecutive games. In a 120–100 road blowout win at Miami, he made a trio of 3-pointers and scored nine points.
In Philadelphia’s 106–104 loss at Memphis, Danny Green collected eight points, three assists and three blocks after combining for 41 points in his previous two games. Tony Bradley had two points and two rebounds in nine minutes.
Sunday night, the Sixers’ road game against Justin Jackson’s Oklahoma Thunder at 7 o’clock will be on TNT.
How Tar Heels did Saturday and what’s ahead
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
122–115 loss at Brooklyn —Started; 30 minutes, 16 points, 5–15 FG, 2–5 3FG, 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, +/- of 0, 15.9 game score
Season statistics — 13 games, 10.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 33.3FG%, 20.5%3P, 88.2FT
Up next — Monday at New York, noon, NBATV; Wednesday at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings guard
No game
Season statistics — 13 games, 17.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 50.3FG%, 40.9%3P, 81.3FT%
Up next — Sunday vs. New Orleans, 9 p.m.; Wednesday at Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m.
Tony Bradley, Philadelphia Sixers center/forward
106–104 loss at Memphis — 9 minutes, 2 points, 1–3 FG, 0–0 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, -7, 1.5 game score
Season statistics — 5 games, 4.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist, 47.8 FG%, 0–0 3FG, 1–3 FT
Up next — Sunday at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.; Wednesday vs. Boston, 7 p.m., ESPN
Reggie Bullock, New York Knicks guard/forward
No game
Season statistics — 11 games, 8.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 38.5FG%, 31.9%3P, 57.1FT%
Up next — Sunday at Boston, 1 p.m., NBATV; Monday vs. Orlando, noon, NBATV
Ed Davis, Minnesota Timberwolves center/forward
No game
Season statistics — 7 games, 1.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist, 27.8FG%, 0–0 3FG, 75.0FT%
Up next — Monday at Atlanta, 2:30 p.m., NBATV; Wednesday vs. Orlando, 8 p.m.
Wayne Ellington, Detroit Pistons guard
120–100 win at Miami — Started; 26 minutes, 9 points, 3–5 FG, 3–5 3FG, 0–0 FT, 1 rebound, 1 turnover, +12, 4.8 game score
Season statistics — 7 games, 8.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.4 of an assist, 47.7FG%, 40.6 3P%, 1–1 FT
Up next — Monday at Miami, 3 p.m.; Wednesday at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers guard
106–104 loss at Memphis — Started; 36 minutes, 8 points, 3–7 FG, 1–4 3FG, 1–1 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 1 turnover, +9, 7.6 game score
Season statistics — 14 games, 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 37.4FG%, 37.0%3P 72.7FT%
Up next — Sunday at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m..; Wednesday vs. Boston, 7 p.m., ESPN
Justin Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder forward
No game
Season statistics — 4 games, 5.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 36.8FG%, 8.3%3P, 83.3FT%
Up next — Sunday vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m., NBATV; Tuesday at Denver, 9 p.m.
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns forward
Game at Indiana postponed
Season statistics — 11 games, 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 47.1FG%, 38.4%3P, 85.7FT%
Up next — Monday at Memphis, 5 p.m., TNT; Wednesday at Houston, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Nassir Little, Portland Blazers forward/guard
112–106 win vs. Atlanta — Didn’t play
Season statistics — 3 games, 1.7 points, 1.0 rebound, 0 assists, 2–3 FG, 1–1 3FG, no FTA
Up next — Monday vs. San Antonio, 3 p.m.; Wednesday vs. Memphis, 10 p.m.
Theo Pinson, New York Knicks guard/forward
No game
Season statistics — 5 games, 0 points, 0–4 FG, 0–4 3FG, 1 rebound
Up next — Sunday at Boston, 1 p.m., NBATV; Monday vs. Orlando, noon, NBATV
Coby White, Chicago Bulls point guard
No game
Season statistics — 12 games, 17.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 41.8FG%, 36.5%3P, 84.4 FT
Up next — Sunday at Dallas, 3 p.m.; Monday vs. Houston, 8 p.m.
What is a game score? Here is an exclamation.
tarheeltribune.com 
