By R.L. Bynum
After a red-hot start to start the season, Harrison Barnes has tailed off in the latter part of November, and it hasn’t gone that well for the Sacramento Kings, either.
Saturday, Barnes scored 18 points in a 123–105 Kings home loss to Utah, their third consecutive defeat and seventh in the last eight. Barnes’ scoring average has dipped below 20 for the first time this season at 19.9 and the Kings fell to 6–11, 12th in the Western Conference.
Sunday, the Kings fired Coach Luke Walton, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Associate coach Alvin Gentry is the likely interim coach.
“Everyone’s frustrated,” Barnes said. “If we do the same thing over and over again and expect the different result, then that’s what it’s going to be. And I think that goes down the line with our execution, our patience and our poise. Those are things that we can control every single night and we did them for stretches of the games early on in the season. But the last five, six games or so, that’s been completely out the window.”
The positive for Barnes is that he had a better overall game with eight rebounds and five assists, scoring more than 15 points for the first time in four games. His 16.1 game score was his best since putting up a 20.3 six games earlier in his 26-point effort in a loss at Phoenix.
There was an unpleasant incident in the fourth quarter when a fan sitting courtside near the Utah bench vomited on the floor multiple times, leading to a 15-minute delay.
“Ten years in the league, I’ve never seen anything like that … twice,” Barnes said. “I don’t know what he had, but maybe he’s got to relax on that going forward.”
Portland’s Nassir Little was the only other Tar Heel to play in an NBA game Saturday, contributing 11 points and four rebounds and another eye-opening slam in the Trail Blazers’ 118–111 home victory over Philadelphia.
Portland pushed above .500 at 9–8, seventh in the Western Conference.
The Sixers’ Danny Green missed his third consecutive game with left hamstring tightness.
Cole Anthony sprained his right ankle on the last play of Orlando’s Friday night loss to Brooklyn and missed the Magic’s 117–107 loss Saturday night at Milwaukee.
Day’Ron Sharpe played his second game for the Long Island Nets this season and put up his second double-double in as many G League appearances. He collected 19 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in Long Island’s 114–110 home victory over Raptors 905.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
117–108 loss at Milwaukee — Missed game with a sprained right ankle suffered Friday night
Season statistics — 15 games, 19.9 points, 41.1 FG%, 37.3 3FG%, 86.7 FT%, 6.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists
Up next — 8 p.m. Monday at Milwaukee; 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Charlotte, BSSE
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
123–105 vs. Utah — Started; 35 minutes, 18 points, 7–13 FG, 1–3 3FG, 3–6 FT, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, -5, 16.1 game score
Season statistics — 17 games, 19.9 points, 48.4 FG%, 41.2 3FG%, 85.6 FT%, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Up next — 10 p.m. Monday vs. Philadelphia, NBATV; 10 p.m. Wednesday vs. Portland
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Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
Off Saturday
Season statistics — 13 games, 3.5 points, 52.5 FG%, 4.5 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist
Up next — 8 p.m. Sunday vs. New York; 8 p.m. Monday vs. Indiana
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Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
Off Saturday
Season statistics — 15 games, 6.3 points, 37.1 FG%, 29.2 3P%, 60.0 FT%, 2.8
Up next — 3:30 Sunday at Los Angeles Clippers; 10:30 Tuesday at Los Angeles Clippers
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Ed Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers center
Off Saturday
Season statistics — 5 games, 2.6 points, 66.7 FG%, 50.0 FT%, 5.2 rebounds, 0.2 of an assist
Up next — 7 p.m. Monday vs. Brooklyn, NBATV; 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Phoenix
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Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers guard
Off Saturday
Season statistics — 8 games, 8.3 points, 36.5 FG%, 37.5 3FG%, 2.0 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist
Up next — 6 p.m. Sunday at Detroit; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at New York, TNT
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Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
118–111 loss at Portland — Missed third consecutive game because of left hamstring tightness
Season statistics — 11 games, 7.5 points, 45.2 FG%, 41.8 3FG%, 4–4 FT, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists
Up next — 10 p.m. Monday at Sacramento, NBATV; 10 p.m. Wednesday at Golden State, ESPN
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Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
Off Saturday
Season statistics — 15 games, 7.5 points, 37.7 FG%, 36.4 3FG%, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Up next — 8 p.m. Sunday vs. Denver; 8:30 p.m. Monday at San Antonio
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Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers wing
118–111 win vs. Philadelphia — 22 minutes, 11 points, 5–7 FG, 1–2 3FG, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers, -6, 6.9 game score
Season statistics — 17 games, 7.9 points, 48.5 FG%, 31.4 3P%, 82.6 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist
Up next — 10 p.m. Tuesday vs. Denver, TNT; 10 p.m. Wednesday at Sacramento
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Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
114–110 Long Island Nets win vs. Raptors 905 in G League — Started; 32 minutes, 19 points, 5–10 FG, 0–1 3FG, 5–5 FT, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 5 turnovers, 2 blocks, +5
Season NBA statistics — 7 games, 2.4 points, 50.0 FG%, 33.3% 3P%, 2–4 FT, 2.3 rebounds
Season G League statistics — 2 games, 15.5 points, 4–12 FG, 40.9 3P%, 71.4 FT%, 12.5 rebounds, 4 steals, 6 blocks
Up next — 7 p.m. Monday at Cleveland, NBATV; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Boston, ESPN
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Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Off Saturday
Season statistics — 3 games, 2 points, 1–11 FG, 0–3 3FG, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers
Up next — 8 p.m. Sunday vs. New York; 8 p.m. Monday vs. Indiana
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In G League
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends (Mavericks affiliate) forward
Season statistics — 4 games, 23.8 points, 55.9% FG, 52.6% 3FG, 62.5 FT%, 9.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 of a steal
Up next — 8:30 Friday, Nov. 26, and Saturday, Nov. 27 vs. Greensboro (Hornets affiliate)
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Theo Pinson, Maine Celtics guard
Season statistics — 6 games, 17.7 points, 49.3 FG%, 43.6 3FG%, 91.7 FT%, 4.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals
Up next — 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27 and Monday, Nov. 29 at Westchester (Knicks affiliate)
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