Tar Heels in NBA: Ellington finding rhythm with Lakers, hits key buckets in OT win; Green has four steals in return; 16 for Little

By R.L. Bynum

A hamstring strain delayed the start Wayne Ellington’s 12th NBA season; then, it’s taken a while for him to find a rhythm at the start of his second stint with the Los Angeles Lakers.

But there were signs Wednesday that it’s coming together when he made a big difference for the Lakers.

Ellington scored nine of his 14 points in the fourth quarter in the Lakers’ 124–116 overtime victory in Indiana on Wednesday night. Ellington’s 14-foot jumper with 5.6 seconds left in regulation put the game away.

The Lakers (10–10), ninth in the Western Conference, were coming off a 106–100 loss at New York on Tuesday night.

“That was the attitude,” Ellington said. “We knew that we didn’t like the taste coming out of New York. We felt like we made some strides in the right direction. So we came out here tonight and wanted to make sure we got this one. Going back home, long trip heading into holiday.”

Ellington equaled his point total from his previous five games in a season-high 30 minutes on 4 of 6 shooting from 3-point range with four rebounds and two assists. The 14.1 game score was a season-high, and best since putting up a 14.8 for Detroit on April 11 in a 15-point game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ellington passed Metta World Peace for 86th on the all-time NBA 3-pointers list with 1,556.

“Guys got into the paint, they were helping a little too much, left me open and I got some clean looks. I caught a nice little rhythm and was able to knock them down,” Ellington said.

It was some of the most significant playing time Ellington has had with LeBron James this season considering he also has been battling injuries for the Lakers, who played without Anthony Davis.

“At some point, we’ll get the whole band together,” Ellington said. “We’re looking forward to it. It was good to be on the floor tonight with Bron, set some screens for him, get him open a little bit.”


Portland’s Nassir Little collected a season-high 16 points with two 3-pointers, a steal and a block, but it wasn’t enough in a 125–121 road loss to Sacramento. It was Little’s best scoring output since scoring 18 at Phoenix last season on Feb. 22 for the 10–9 Blazers.

The outcome ended a four-game Kings losing streak to give them their first win under interim coach Alvin Gentry and snapped the Blazers’ four-game win streak.

Harrison Barnes scored 13 for the Kings (7–12) but left the game with a right foot injury in the third quarter and didn’t return. Gentry said that Barnes’ X-rays came back negative and that the team doctors are “pretty optimistic.”


Danny Green returned to the Philadelphia lineup after missing four games with left hamstring tightness. He collected 10 points and four steals in the Sixers’ 116–96 loss at Golden State. The four steals were one short of his career-high of five, which he’s done five times, including against the Knicks last season on March 21.


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Cameron Johnson scored in double figures for the second time in three games, collecting 14 points, three 3-pointers and four rebounds in Phoenix’s 120–115 road win over Cleveland. It was the 14th consecutive victory for the Suns, who have a league-best 7–1 road record and are second in the Western Conference at 15–3.

Ed Davis didn’t play for the Cavaliers.


In the two games since Coby White scored 14 points, he’s combined for seven. He had three points on 1 of 5 shooting in 14 minutes of Chicago’s 118–113 road loss to Houston. Tony Bradley played one scoreless minute with two rebounds.


Cole Anthony missed his third consecutive game with a sprained right ankle, a 106–99 home loss to Charlotte, Orlando’s fourth consecutive defeat.

Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
106–99 loss vs. Charlotte —
Missed third consecutive game with a sprained right ankle
Season statistics — 15 games, 19.9 points, 41.1 FG%, 37.3 3FG%, 86.7 FT%, 6.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Friday vs. Chicago; 8 p.m. Saturday at Cleveland
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
125–121 win
vs. Portland — Started; 28 minutes, 13 points, 4–7 FG, 1–3 3FG, 4–7 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, +5, 9.1 game score
Season statistics — 19 games, 19.0 points, 47.8 FG%, 39.8 3FG%, 84.6 FT%, 7.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Up next — 10:30 Friday at Los Angeles Lakers; 6 p.m. Sunday at Memphis
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Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
118–113 loss
at Houston — 1 minute, 0 points, 0–1 FG, 2 rebounds, -4, -0.1 game score
Season statistics — 16 games, 3.6 points, 54.0 FG%, 4.4 rebounds, 0.4 of an assist
Up next — 7 p.m. Friday at Orlando; 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Miami
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Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
Off Wednesday
Season statistics —
16 games, 5.9 points, 36.4 FG%, 28.4 3P%, 60.0 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Up next —
8:30 Saturday vs. Memphis; 8:30 Monday vs. Cleveland
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Ed Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers center
120
115 loss vs. Phoenix — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics —
6 games, 2.2 points, 66.7 FG%, 50.0 FT%, 4.3 rebounds, 0.2 of an assist
Up next — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Orlando; 8:30 Monday at Dallas
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Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers guard
124–116 win
at Indiana — 30 minutes, 14 points, 5–7 FG, 4–6 3FG, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, +20, 14.1 game score
Season statistics — 12 games, 6.7 points, 37.1 FG%, 36.9 3FG%, 1.9 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist
Up next — 10:30 Friday vs. Sacramento; 9:30 Sunday vs. Detroit
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Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
116–96 loss
at Golden State — 17 minutes, 10 points, 4–5 FG, 2–3 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, +10, 11.7 game score
Season statistics — 11 games, 7.5 points, 45.2 FG%, 41.8 3FG%, 4–4 FT, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists
Up next — 6 p.m. Saturday vs. Minnesota; 7 p.m. Monday vs. Orlando
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Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
120
115 win at Cleveland — 20 minutes, 14 points, 4–9 FG, 3–5 3FG, 3–4 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, -1, 8.4 game score
Season statistics —
18 games, 8.4 points, 39.7 FG%, 38.1 3FG%, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Friday at New York; 7:30 Saturday at Brooklyn, NBATV
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Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers wing
125–121 loss at Sacramento —
27 minutes, 16 points, 7–10 FG, 2–3 3FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, -2, 13.7 game score
Season statistics — 19 games, 8.6 points, 50.8 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 80.8 FT%, 5.3 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist
Up next — 10 p.m. Friday at Golden State; 9 p.m. Monday at Utah
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Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
123–104 win
at Boston — 3 minutes, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 0–1 FT, 2 rebounds, -2, 3.7 game score
Season NBA statistics — 8 games, 2.6 points, 52.9 FG%, 33.3% 3P%, 2–5 FT, 2.1 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 — 7:30 Saturday vs. Phoenix, NBATV; 7:30 Tuesday vs. New York, TNT
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Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
118–113 loss
at Houston — 15 minutes, 3 points, 1–5 FG, 1–4 3FG, 1 rebound, 2 assists, -1, 0.8 game score
Season statistics — 6 games, 3.8 points, 24.3 FG%, 22.2 3P%, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Friday at Orlando; 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Miami
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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 and Saturday 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 and Monday at Westchester (Knicks affiliate)
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