By R.L. Bynum
Coby White keeps rolling along and so do the Chicago Bulls. Meanwhile, Reggie Bullock of the Dallas Mavericks returned after missing six games and had his best night since early December.
White scored a season-high 24 points for the second time in five games and scrambled for a loose ball to set up the game-winning shot. The Bulls won 108–106 at Indiana on Friday to extend their winning streak to six.
White dove on the floor on the defensive end to get the ball with 12.4 seconds left, with Chicago trailing by one. He flipped the ball to DeMar DeRozan, who let the clock run down before hitting an off-balance, one-legged buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
It was the first regular-season game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer by a Bull since Michael Jordan’s shot on Feb. 11, 1997, beat Charlotte 103–100.
“Without Coby, we don’t win this game,” said DeRozan, who led Chicago with 28 points.
Chicago (23–10) is 13 games over .500 for the first time since March 2015 and tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Bulls are 4–0 with White starting, and he is averaging 15.5 points, 4.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds in those games.
White scored a season-high six 3-pointers on seven attempts outside the arc, his seventh career game with at least six. His career-high is eight 3-pointers on Feb. 10 last season against New Orleans, when he scored 30 points. He put up a season-high 23.6 game score, the fifth-best of his career.
White, who collected four assists and a season-high three steals, cut the Bulls’ deficit to three with a 3-pointer from the left corner with 2:17 left.
White only got his chance to start because point guard Lonzo Ball is in the NBA’s health-and-safety protocols, as is Tony Bradley. In addition, Alex Caruso missed the game with a foot sprain.
Bullock scored a season-high-tying 16 points in Dallas’ 112–96 Friday win at Sacramento in his first game since entering NBA health-and-safety protocols in mid-December. That equaled his 16-point game on Oct. 26 against Houston.
Dallas is 17–18, but is 5–1 when Bullock scores in double figures and 3–0 when he scores at least 15 points.
“I’m having a tough time,” Bullock said of the whole process of having to take a break because of the protocols and then trying to get back into game shape.
“Obviously, I wanted to be out there with my team,” he said. “But, honestly, I just think it’s going around the whole league and having to come on to me, I just had to isolate at home. It’s all about me just continuing to just build on my conditioning.”
It was Bullock’s second double-figure scoring game since Nov. 8. He had gone scoreless twice in the five games since then before missing the last six games after entering the protocols.
“I think the break was good for me,” Bullock said. “Obviously, I was struggling a little bit. Just had to continue to try to find the confidence. My teammates believed in me. I just tried to take this break and just try to come in with a new attitude, try to bring energy. That was my main goal.”
Bullock’s 15.2 game score is second only this season for him to the 16.4 he put up Dec. 8 in a 15-point game at Memphis, his last previous double-figure scoring game. Bullock’s three 3-pointers were his most since he had four in that Memphis game. He also pulled down a season-high-tying five rebounds, his third time with that total this season.
Before Friday’s game, Theo Pinson signed a second 10-day contract with the Mavericks. He went scoreless with a rebound and three assists in eight minutes.
Harrison Barnes collected 11 points and two 3-pointers in the loss for Sacramento (15–22), which had its two-game win streak snapped.
In his third consecutive start, Cameron Johnson scored 20 points on four 3-pointers in Phoenix’s 123–108 road loss Friday to the Boston Celtics. His third game with at least 20 points this season extended his career-high streak of double-figure-scoring games to 15 and pushed his scoring average to 11.3 points per game. His 16.3 game score was his third-best this season.
Justin Jackson is reportedly expected to sign a 10-day contract with Phoenix after his 10-day deal with Boston expired Thursday.
In the Los Angeles Lakers’ 139–106 home win over Portland on Friday night, Wayne Ellington scored six points in six minutes on a pair of 3-pointers for the Lakers.
Nassir Little, starting his ninth consecutive game for the Blazers, had two points on 1 of 7 shooting in 14 minutes. After scoring 20 points on Dec. 27 against Dallas, Little has four total points in the last two games as he has been dealing with a right ankle sprain.
(Thursday and Friday)
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
136–118 Thursday loss vs. Milwaukee — Missed third consecutive game as he tries to recover from a right ankle sprain
Season statistics — 24 games, 20.0 points, 41.8 FG%, 35.4 3FG%, 87.5 FT%, 6.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists
Up next — 6 p.m. Sunday at Boston; 8 p.m. Monday at Chicago
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
112–96 Friday loss vs. Dallas — Started; 29 minutes, 11 points, 3–9 FG, 2–4 3FG, 3–4 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, -24, 7.2 game score
Season statistics — 32 games, 17.0 points, 44.6 FG%, 41.3 3FG%, 83.9 FT%, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Up next — 6 p.m. Sunday vs Miami; 10:30 Tuesday at Los Angeles Lakers, NBATV
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Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
108–106 Friday win at Indiana — Missed fourth consecutive game; Bradley on NBA health-and-safety protocols
Season statistics — 23 games, 3.7 points, 57.4 FG%, 4.4 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist
Up next — 7 p.m. Saturday at Washington; 8 p.m. Monday vs. Orlando
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Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
112–96 Friday win at Sacramento — Started; 30 minutes, 16 points, 5–8 FG, 3–5 3FG, 3–4 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, +17, 15.2 game score
Season statistics — 28 games, 6.0 points, 36.7 FG%, 28.7 3P%, 73.3 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Up next — 7 p.m. Sunday at Oklahoma City; 8:30 Monday vs. Denver
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Ed Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers center
110–93 Thursday loss at Washington — 5 minutes, 0 points, 0–2 FT, -1, -1.6 game score
121–118 Friday loss vs. Atlanta — Didn’t play
Season statistics — 12 games, 1.6 points, 75.0 FG%, 16.7 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 0.1 of an assist
Up next — 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Indiana, NBATV; 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. Memphis
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Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers guard
139–106 Friday win vs. Portland — 6 minutes, 6 points, 2–2 FG, 2–2 3FG, 1 rebound, 1 assist, +3, 6.4 game score
Season statistics — 27 games, 6.4 points, 38.7 FG%, 37.7 3FG%, 4–5 FT, 1.7 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist
Up next — 9:30 Sunday vs. Minnesota; 10:30 Tuesday vs. Sacramento, NBATV
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Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
110–102 Thursday win at Brooklyn — Missed fourth consecutive game; Green in health-and-safety protocols
Season statistics — 24 games, 7.1 points, 40.6 FG%, 37.4 3FG%, 8–8 FT, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Monday vs. Houston; 7 p.m. Wednesday at Orlando
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Justin Jackson, forward
Reportedly will sign a 10-day contract with Phoenix
NBA season statistics — 1 game, 2 points, 0–1 FG, 2–2 FT
G League season statistics for Texas Legends (Mavericks affiliate) — 10 games, 22.7 points, 47.3% FG, 41.4% 3FG, 79.2 FT%, 7.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals
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Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
123–108 Friday at Boston — Started; 34 minutes, 20 points, 8–15 FG, 4–9 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 turnover, -10, 16.3 game score
Season statistics — 35 games, 11.3 points, 44.9 FG%, 42.9 3FG%, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Sunday at Charlotte; 8 p.m. Tuesday at New Orleans
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Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers wing
139–106 Friday loss at Los Angeles Lakers — Started; 14 minutes, 2 points, 1–7 FG, 0–3 3FG, -15, -1.9 game score
Season statistics — 30 games, 8.4 points, 46.4 FG%, 28.3 3P%, 73.8 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Up next — 10 p.m. Monday vs. Atlanta; 10 p.m. Wednesday vs. Miami
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Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
112–96 Friday win at Sacramento — 8 minutes, 0 points, 0–2 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 block, -11, 1.3 game score
NBA season statistics — 6 games, 4.2 points, 33.3 FG, 29.4 3FG, 4–4 FT, 2.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists
G League season statistics with Maine Celtics — 13 games, 15.1 points, 43.4 FG%, 40.6 3FG%, 88.5 FT%, 6.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.2 steals
Up next — 7 p.m. Sunday at Oklahoma City; 8:30 Monday vs. Denver
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Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
110–93 Thursday loss vs. Philadelphia — Missed fourth consecutive game; Sharpe has been in NBA’s health-and-safety protocols, but is no longer on the injury report
Season NBA statistics — 10 games, 3.1 points, 59.1 FG%, 33.3% 3P%, 4–11 FT, 2.9 rebounds
Season G League statistics — 4 games, 18.0 points, 47.8 FG%, 33.33P%, 85.7 FT%, 9.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 2.6 blocks
Up next — 7:30 Saturday vs. Los Angeles Clippers; 7:30 Monday vs. Memphis, NBATV
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Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
108–106 Friday win at Indiana — Started; 33 minutes, 24 points, 7–11 FG, 6–7 3FG, 4–5 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, +1, 23.6 game score
Season statistics — 15 games, 9.7 points, 39.7 FG%, 33.8 3P%, 2.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Saturday at Washington; 8 p.m. Monday vs. Orlando
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