By R.L. Bynum
Justin Jackson and Coby White have put up the best games of the weekend so far for UNC alums, both coming on Friday night.
Jackson led Oklahoma City with a season-high 20 points and collected three 3-pointers, three rebounds, three assists and two steals in the Thunder’s 97–94 loss at Denver for an 18.1 game score. It was his best game since scoring 24 points and putting up a 21.0 game score for Dallas on April 1, 2019, against Philadelphia.
Jackson played 28 minutes against Denver. His playing time has shot up to 24.6 minutes per game in February as the Thunder have navigated through some injuries. He’s played more than 25 minutes four times in February after doing so only twice in the previous 20 games.
“I didn’t play much at all at the beginning of the season but Coach kept on telling me, ‘Hey, you’re time is gonna come, and stay ready,’ ” Jackson said. “At the end of the day, this is my fourth year in the league. I’ve been in all types of roles. I’ve been in the same role I’m in right now. I’ve been in a role where I play a whole bunch of minutes. I’ve been in a role where I just don’t play. For me it’s just continuing to get better even if I’m not playing.”
Jackson has played in the last nine games after getting in to only five of the Thunder’s first 15 games.
White followed up his 30-point game on Wednesday against New Orleans with 17 points, three 3-pointers, three rebounds and four assists in a 125–106 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Also on Friday, Harrison Barnes had 13 points, two 3-pointers, five rebounds and four assists in the Sacramento Kings’ 123–112 loss to the Orlando Magic.
Cameron Johnson had nine points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal in the Phoenix Suns’ 120–111 Saturday victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Danny Green had 10 points, four rebounds and two steals in the loss for the Sixers.
The New York Knicks won Friday (109–91 at Washington) and Saturday (121–91 vs. Houston) with Reggie Bullock scoring six points and nine points, combining to make 5 of 10 3-point attempts. Theo Pinson was scoreless in five combined minutes in those two games.
Cole Anthony has missed the last two games with a strained right shoulder and is listed as questionable for Sunday night’s game in Phoenix.
How Tar Heels did Thursday through Saturday
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
111–105 Thursday loss at Golden State and 123–112 Friday win at Sacramento — Out with strained right shoulder
Season statistics — 25 games, 11.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 37.4FG%, 32.4%3P, 83.6FT
Up next — Sunday at Phoenix, 9 p.m.; Wednesday vs. New York, 7 p.m.
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings guard
123–112 Friday loss vs. Orlando — 33 minutes, 13 points, 4–9 FG, 2–4 3FG, 3–4 FT, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, -19, 9.8 game score
Season statistics — 25 games, 16.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 48.9FG%, 41.3%3P, 85.3FT%
Up next — Sunday vs. Memphis, 9 p.m.; Monday vs. Brooklyn, 10 p.m.
Tony Bradley, Philadelphia Sixers center/forward
118–114 Thursday loss at Portland — Didn’t play
120–111 Saturday loss at Phoenix — 2 minutes, 2 points 1–1 FG, +3, 1.7 game score
Season statistics — 10 games, 4.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist, 52.8 FG%, 0–0 3FG, 3–5 FT
Up next — Monday at Utah, 9 p.m.; Wednesday vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Reggie Bullock, New York Knicks guard/forward
109–91 Friday win at Washington — Started; 19 minutes, 6 points, 2–7 FG, 2–5 3FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, +2, 2.5 game score
121–91 Saturday win vs. Houston — Started; 25 minutes, 9 points, 3–5 FG, 3–5 3FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, +1, 7.5 game score
Season statistics — 23 games, 8.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 40.9FG%, 38.5%3P, 78.6FT%
Up next — Monday vs. Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday at Orlando, 7 p.m.
Ed Davis, Minnesota Timberwolves center/forward
120–114 Friday loss at Charlotte — Didn’t play
Season statistics — 19 games, 2.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 41.9FG%, 0–0 3FG, 87.5FT%
Up next — Sunday at Toronto, 6 p.m.; Tuesday vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 8 p.m.
Wayne Ellington, Detroit Pistons guard
111–95 Thursday loss vs. Indiana — Started; 24 minutes, 7 points, 3–8 FG, 1–6 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, -7, 4.6 game score
108–102 Friday win at Boston — Started; 20 minutes, 5 points, 1–9 FG, 0–7 3FG, 3–4 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, -1, -2.2 game score
Season statistics — 19 games, 11.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 46.8FG%, 44.5 3P%, 75.0FT%
Up next — Sunday vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.; Tuesday vs. San Antonio, 7 p.m.
Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
118–114 Thursday loss at Portland — Started; 31 minutes, 5 points, 2–4 FG, 1–3 3FG, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 turnover, +3, 4.0 game score
120–111 Saturday loss at Phoenix — Started, 31 minutes, 10 points, 4–5 FG, 2–3 3FG, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, +1, 10.6 games score
Season statistics — 27 games, 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 40.0FG%, 36.7%3P 71.4FT%
Up next — Monday at Utah, 9 p.m.; Wednesday vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Justin Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder forward
97–95 Friday loss at Denver — 28 minutes, 20 points, 7–11 FG, 3–5 3FG, 3–3 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, +2, 18.1 game score
Season statistics — 15 games, 7.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 44.6FG%, 28.6%3P, 81.3FT%
Up next — Sunday vs. Milwaukee, 7 p.m.; Tuesday vs. Portland, 8 p.m.
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
120–111 Saturday win vs. Philadelphia — 24 minutes, 9 points, 3–4 FG, 1–2 3FG, 2–3 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, +21, 9.2 game score
Season statistics — 25 games, 11.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 44.2FG%, 36.8%3P, 86.2FT%
Up next — Sunday vs. Orlando, 8 p.m.; Tuesday vs. Brooklyn, 10 p.m., TNT
Nassir Little, Portland Blazers forward/guard
118–114 Thursday win vs. Philadelphia — Activated but didn’t play
129–110 Friday win vs. Cleveland — 14 minutes, 1–3 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1 rebound, +1, 0.2 game score
Season statistics — 10 games, 4.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.2 of an assist, 50.0%FG, 53.8%3P, 88.9FT%
Up next — Sunday at Dallas, 7:30 p.m., ESPN; Tuesday at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.
Theo Pinson, New York Knicks guard/forward
109–91 Friday win at Washington — 3 minutes, no shots, -5, -0.4 game score
Saturday vs. Houston — 2 minutes, 0 points, 0–1 FG, +4, 0.7 game score
Season statistics — 9 games, 2 points, 1–7 FG, 0–6 3FG, 1 rebound
Up next — Monday vs. Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday at Orlando, 7 p.m.
Coby White, Chicago Bulls point guard
125–106 Friday loss vs. Los Angeles Clippers — Started; 34 minutes, 17 points 7–14 FG, 3–8 3FG, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 2 turnover, -9, 11.2 game score
Season statistics — 25 games, 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 40.7FG%, 36.3%3P, 87.0 FT
Up next — Monday at Indiana, 7 p.m.; Wednesday at Charlotte, 7 p.m., FSS
What is a game score? Here is an exclamation.
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