Tar Heels in NBA: Ellington, White each hit 25 with big perimeter games; Barnes scores 20 in win over Lakers

By R.L. Bynum

For about a month after Wayne Ellington’s incredible 3-point shooting streak in January, he struggled to find the range.

The red-hot Ellington is back.

He scored a season-high 25 points and tied his career-high with eight 3-pointers in the Detroit Pistons’ easy 129–105 victory over the Toronto Raptors in Tampa, Fla., on Wednesday night.

The 22.6 game score was Ellington’s season-high and best since putting up a 27.4 in a 32-point game for Miami against Toronto on April 11, 2018, when he also had eight 3-pointers. He also collected eight 3-pointers in a 28-point game Dec. 22, 2017, for Miami against Dallas.

“It was more getting some open looks early,” said Ellington, who didn’t take a shot during his 91 seconds in the game in the fourth quarter. “When I get some open looks early and I see one or two go in, for me, it’s on. I saw two early go in, got some wide-open looks. They left me a few times and I was able to get into a nice groove, a nice rhythm. So, I just continued to feed off of that. My teammates set great screens, got me open, were looking for me. So, obviously I couldn’t be able to do what I do without those guys assisting me.”

After combining for 11 3-pointers in his previous 11 games, he has 12 in the last two games, including four Sunday when he scored 15 against New York. Against the Raptors, Ellington made 8 of 11 attempts.

Before that cold-shooting February, Ellington had made at least four 3-pointers for a franchise-record seven consecutive games and hit 40 of 67 3-point attempts over eight games. In the 11 games after his 20-point, six 3-pointer effort  Jan. 28 against the Los Angeles Lakers, his only double-figure scoring game was 10 points Feb. 19 at Memphis.

He was hesitant to say that his January version was back.

“It’s feeling good,” he said. “I don’t want to jinx it but the work is paying off.”

That was his best scoring game since scoring 26 for Detroit against Indiana on April 1, 2019.

Two of Ellington’s Pistons teammates from Triangle ACC schools had triple-doubles. Former Duke center Mason Plumlee had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists and former N.C. State guard Dennis Smith collected 10 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

This is Wayne Ellington’s shot chart for Wednesday night. All 11 of his shots were 3-point attempts.

Coby White had a good perimeter game as well, with 25 points and four 3-pointers in the Chicago Bulls’ 128–124 road victory over New Orleans as they head into the All-Star break. White’s two free throws with 2.1 seconds left clinched the victory. He had a four-point play in the first half.

It was the third game this season with at least 25 points for White, who scored 36 on Jan. 6 at Sacramento and 30 on Feb. 10 against New Orleans.


Harrison Barnes continued to play well, collecting 20 points and six assists and drove for a huge go-ahead layup with 30.1 seconds left as the Sacramento Kings earned a 123–120 home win over the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers.

Barnes, who has at least 18 points in all five games since returning from a left foot strain, added two free throws with 1.3 seconds left.

The Lakers were playing without LeBron James (sore left ankle), Anthony Davis (right calf strain), Marc Gasol (health and safety protocols) and Alex Caruso (neck spasms.)


In Philadelphia’s 131–123 overtime home victory over Utah, Danny Green had three points and four rebounds and Tony Bradley didn’t play.

How Tar Heels did Tuesday & Wednesday, what’s next

Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
115–112 Wednesday loss vs. Atlanta —
Missed 11th consecutive game with a right rib non-displaced fracture
Season statistics
— 25 games, 11.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 37.4FG%, 32.4%3P, 83.6FT
Up next — Thursday, March 11 at Miami, 8 p.m.; Friday, March 12 at San Antonio, 9 p.m.
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings guard
123–120 Wednesday win vs. Los Angeles Lakers —
Started; 38 minutes, 20 points, 6–13 FG, 0–3 3FG, 8–9 FG, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover, -2, 16.6 game score
Season statistics
— 32 games, 16.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 49.2FG%, 39.4%3P, 82.2FT%
Up next — Thursday at Portland, 10 p.m.; Thursday, March 11 vs. Houston, 10 p.m.
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Tony Bradley, Philadelphia Sixers center/forward
131–123 Wednesday OT win vs. Utah —
Didn’t play
Season statistics
— 12 games, 3.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist, 56.4 FG%, 0–0 3FG, 3–5 FT
Up next —
Thursday, March 11 at Chicago, 8 p.m.; Friday, March 12 at Washington, 8 p.m.
——————————————————
Reggie Bullock, New York Knicks guard/forward
119–93 Tuesday loss at San Antonio —
Started; 22 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–2 3FG, 1 rebound, 1 block, 1 turnover, -7, 1.3 game score
Season statistics —
31 games, 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 41.1FG%, 38.1%3P, 85.7FT%
Up next — Thursday vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, March 11 at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
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Ed Davis, Minnesota Timberwolves center/forward
135–102 Wednesday loss vs. 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 — Thursday, March 11 at New Orleans, 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 13 vs. Portland, 8 p.m.
——————————————————
Wayne Ellington, Detroit Pistons guard
129–105 Wednesday win vs. Toronto in Tampa, Fla. — 26 minutes, 25 points, 8–11 FG, 8–11 3FG, 1–1 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, +18, 22.6 game score
Season statistics —
27 games, 10.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 45.5FG%, 43.5 3P%, 73.1FT%
Up next — Thursday at New York, 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, March 11 at Charlotte, 7 p.m., FSS
——————————————————
Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
131–123 Wednesday OT win vs. Utah —
Started; 22 minutes, 3 points, 1–6 FG, 1–5 3FG, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, -6, 2.1 game score
Season statistics —
36 games, 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 39.3FG%, 37.6%3P, 65.0FT%
Up next —
Thursday, March 11 at Chicago, 8 p.m.; Friday, March 12 at Washington, 8 p.m.
——————————————————
Justin Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder forward
87–78 Wednesday loss at Dallas —
7 minutes, 0 points, 0–4 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, +4, -1.5 game score
Season statistics —
24 games, 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 41.4FG%, 30.3%3P, 80.0FT%
Up next — Thursday at San Antonio, 9 p.m.; Thursday, March 11 vs. Dallas, 9 p.m.
——————————————————
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
114–104 Tuesday win at Los Angeles Lakers —
22 minutes, 9 points, 3–5 FG, 3–4 3FG, 1 assist, +8, 6.6 game score
Season statistics —
34 games, 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 43.7FG%, 37.8%3P, 86.5FT%
Up next — Thursday vs. Golden State, 10 p.m.; Thursday, March 11 at Portland, 10 p.m.
——————————————————
Nassir Little, Portland Blazers forward/guard
108–106 Wednesday win vs. Golden State —
13 minutes, 2 points, 0–4 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, +11, 0.1 game score
Season statistics —
19 games, 5.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.4 of an assist, 50.0%FG, 48.5%3P, 85.7FT%
Up next — Thursday vs. Sacramento, 10 p.m.; Thursday, March 11 vs. Phoenix, 10 p.m.
——————————————————
Theo Pinson, New York Knicks guard/forward
119–93 Tuesday loss at San Antonio —
2 minutes, 0 points, -6, 0.0 game score
Season statistics —
11 games, 2 points, 1–7 FG, 0–6 3FG, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Up next — Thursday vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, March 11 at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
——————————————————
Coby White, Chicago Bulls point guard
128–124 Wednesday win at New Orleans — Started; 33 minutes, 25 points, 8–16 FG, 4–7 3FG, 5–5 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, +7, 18.5 game score
Season statistics — 34 games, 16.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 42.0FG%, 35.4%3P, 89.6 FT
Up next — Thursday, March 11 vs. Philadelphia, 8 p.m.; Friday, March 12 vs. Miami, 9 p.m.

What is a game score? Here is an exclamation.

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