Tar Heels in NBA: Jackson hits 33, Pinson joins him in G League win; Little double-double; White hits 16; Johnson returns

By R.L. Bynum

In the G League, Justin Jackson continues to make the case that he instead belongs in the NBA.

In 28 minutes of his Texas Legends’ 117–94 home win Monday over the Oklahoma City Blue, he scored 33 points on 12 of 17 shooting, including 8 of 12 from 3-point range, with four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Jackson is averaging 28.7 points in three games since rejoining the Legends, the G League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks, after his 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns expired. Jackson played for Texas before signing a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics in December.

Joining Jackson and the Legends on Monday was Theo Pinson, a fellow starter on UNC’s 2017 national championship team, who has a two-way contract with Dallas. Pinson started and collected three points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block.


With Lonzo Ball still out with a knee injury, Coby White started his second consecutive game.

Chicago lost 119–106 Monday at Memphis for the Bulls’ fourth consecutive defeat. In 31 minutes, White had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists for his 12th consecutive double-figure-scoring game.

In addition to missing Ball, the Bulls also were without Zach LaVine (left knee pain) and Alex Caruso. Caruso returned from NBA health-and-safety protocols Sunday but is still getting into game condition.

Late in the game, Tony Bradley stuck his leg out in front of Ja Morant as the Grizzlies star was driving. After Morant confronted Bradley, Bradley wouldn’t let go of Morant’s jersey. Memphis’ Steven Adams then picked up Bradley and moved him away. Bradley got a technical foul for his efforts.

Bradley had three points, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 14 minutes.

Thanks to Brooklyn’s 114–107 loss at Cleveland, Chicago still has a half-game lead for the best record in the Eastern Conference at 27–15.


In that Nets’ loss, Day’Ron Sharpe had 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 24 minutes, starting his fourth consecutive game for Brooklyn (27–16). That’s his fourth time scoring in double figures in the last five games.


Nassir Little put up his third double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds in Portland’s 98–88 Monday victory at Orlando for the Blazers’ fourth win in five games. It was his fifth consecutive game scoring in double figures and seventh in the last eight games.

Little’s 16.4 game score was his third-highest this season.

Cole Anthony had a bad shooting night, going 3 of 13 from the floor and 1 of 7 from 3-point range, but finished with nine points, nine rebounds, six assists and a steal.


Cameron Johnson returned for Phoenix’s 121–107 win Monday at San Antonio after missing three games with a left ankle sprain.

With no 3-pointers, Johnson’s Suns franchise-record streak of games with multiple 3-pointers ended at 22, which was the longest streak in the NBA this season. It was Johnson’s first game without at least two 3-pointers since he had one 3 on Nov. 22 in a win at San Antonio.

He scored eight points to end his career-high streak of double-figure-scoring games at 19 games. It was the first time he hasn’t scored in double figures since an eight-point game in a Nov. 27 win at Brooklyn.


On Monday, Danny Green missed his third consecutive Philadelphia 76ers game because he is dealing with right hip pain. Reggie Bullock missed the Mavericks’ game Monday with a sore right knee.

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Wayne Ellington didn’t play in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 101–95 Monday win over Utah. The reason he didn’t play was listed on the game report as “coach’s decision” for the fourth time in the last seven games.


In Sacramento’s 118–112 Sunday home loss to Houston, Harrison Barnes collected 12 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals

(Sunday and Monday)
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
98–88 Monday loss vs. Portland —
Started; 27 minutes, 9 points, 3–13 FG, 1–7 3FG, 2–3 FT, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, -20, 5.6 game score
Season statistics —
31 games, 18.8 points, 39.8 FG%, 33.6 3FG%, 84.7 FT%, 6.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Wednesday at Philadelphia; 7 p.m. Friday vs. Los Angeles Lakers
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
118–112 Sunday loss
vs. Houston — Started; 32 minutes, 12 points, 2–7 FG, 1–5 3FG, 7–7 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, -10, 11.6 game score
Season statistics
— 41 games, 16.2 points, 45.3 FG%, 41.9 3FG%, 83.6 FT%, 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Up next — 10 p.m. Wednesday vs. Detroit; 8 p.m. Saturday at Milwaukee
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Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
119–106
Monday loss at Memphis — 14 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–2 FT, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, -2, 3.5 game score
Season statistics — 30 games, 3.8 points, 56.2 FG%, 76.5 FT%, 4.2 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist
Up next — 8 p.m. Wednesday vs. Cleveland; 8 p.m. Friday at Milwaukee, ESPN
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Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
104
102 Monday win vs. Oklahoma City — Missed game with a sore right knee
Season statistics —
34 games, 6.4 points, 37.9 FG%, 31.6 3P%, 76.5 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Up next —
8:30 Wednesday vs. Toronto; 7:30 Thursday vs. Phoenix, TNT
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Ed Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers center
114–107 Monday win vs. Brooklyn —
Didn’t play (coach’s decision); hasn’t played since Dec. 30, a stretch of 10 games
Season statistics —
12 games, 1.6 points, 75.0 FG%, 16.7 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 0.1 of an assist
Up next — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Chicago; 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Oklahoma City, NBATV
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Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers guard
101–95 Monday win vs. Utah —
Didn’t play (coach’s decision); fourth time in the last seven games he hasn’t played
Season statistics —
30 games, 6.4 points, 39.9 FG%, 38.3 3FG%, 4–5 FT, 1.6 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist
Up next — 10:30 Wednesday vs. Indiana; 7 p.m. Friday at Orlando
———————————————
Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
117–98
Monday loss at Washington — Didn’t play; dealing with right hip pain and has missed three consecutive games
Season statistics — 29 games, 6.7 points, 40.7 FG%, 38.1 3FG%, 9–10 FT, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Orlando; 7 p.m. Friday vs. Los Angeles Clippers
———————————————
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
135–108 Sunday win
at Detroit — Missed third consecutive game with a left ankle sprain
121–107 Monday win at San Antonio — 20 minutes, 8 points, 3–5 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 1 assist, 1 steal, +21, 6.6 game score
Season statistics — 40 games, 11.9 points, 46.0 FG%, 43.4 3FG%, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Up next — 7:30 Thursday at Dallas, TNT; 9 p.m. Saturday vs. Indiana
———————————————
Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers wing
98–88 Monday win at Orlando —
Started; 35 minutes, 13 points, 4–9 FG, 0–2 3FG, 5–5 FT, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, +18, 16.4 game score
Season statistics —
38 games, 9.6 points, 45.0 FG%, 31.9 3P%, 74.2 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Up next — 7:30 Wednesday at Miami; 7:30 Friday at Boston
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Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
117–94 Monday win for Texas Legends in G League vs. Oklahoma City Blue
Started; 29 minutes, 3 points, 1–9 FG, 1–5 3FG, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 block, +14
NBA season statistics — 11 games, 2.3 points, 29.6 FG, 25.0 3FG, 4–4 FT, 1.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists
G League season statistics —
13 games, 15.4 points, 40.6 FG%, 39.2 3FG%, 83.3 FT%, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals
Up next — Legends visit Oklahoma City Blue at 8 p.m. Wednesday and Friday; Mavs at home at 8:30 Wednesday vs. Toronto
———————————————
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
114–107 Monday loss at Cleveland —
Started; 24 minutes, 10 points, 4–8 FG, 2–2 FT, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers, +7, 7.9 game score
Season NBA statistics —
18 games, 6.1 points, 58.3 FG%, 33.3% 3P%, 57.9% FT, 4.3 rebounds, 0.3 of an assist
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 p.m. Wednesday at Washington; 8:30 Friday at San Antonio
———————————————
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
119–106
Monday loss at Memphis — Started; 31 minutes, 16 points, 6–14 FG, 4–7 3FG, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 turnovers, -16, 11.1 game score
Season statistics — 24 games, 12.5 points, 46.2 FG%, 39.5 3P%, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Up next — 8 p.m. Wednesday vs. Cleveland; 8 p.m. Friday at Milwaukee, ESPN
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In the G League
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends (Mavericks affiliate) forward
117–94 win vs. Oklahoma City Blue—
Started; 28 minutes, 33 points, 12–17 FG, 8–12 3FG, 1–1 FT, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, +28
NBA season statistics —
4 games, 3.8 points, 62.5% FG, 60% 3FG, 1.5 rebounds
G League season statistics — 13 games, 24.1 points, 48.6% FG, 44.7% 3FG, 78.1 FT%, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steal
Up next —8 p.m. Wednesday and Friday at Oklahoma City Blue
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Photo via @TexasLegends

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