Tar Heels in NBA: Barnes hits 29 but Kings can’t upset Bucks; Two significant Johnson streaks snapped

By R.L. Bynum

Thanks to Harrison Barnes, the Sacramento Kings had a shot at pulling off a road upset of the reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.

Barnes had his second-best game of the season with 29 points, six rebounds and three assists. but it all wasn’t enough as the Kings lost 133–127 for their third consecutive defeat.

The Kings (18–30) rallied from a 15-point deficit and cut the lead to four on Barnes’ floating 10-foot jumper with 56.3 seconds left. but they could come no closer.

The 23.9 game score was Barnes’ best since collecting 36 points and nine rebounds and a 33.2 game score in Sacramento’s season-opening victory over Portland on Oct. 20.


After scoring in double figures a career-high 19 consecutive games, Cameron Johnson has scored a total of 15 points in his two games back after missing three games with a left ankle sprain.

He also had a franchise-record streak of 22 consecutive games with multiple 3-pointers, the longest in the NBA this season. That was snapped in Johnson’s return for Phoenix’s 109–101 Thursday win at Dallas. He was 1 of 6 from 3-point range and collected seven points and seven rebounds.

In Saturday’s 113–103 Suns home win over Indiana, Johnson had eight points and four rebounds. He was 2 of 7 from 3-point range to pass Rex Chapman for 14th on the all-time Suns 3-pointers list with 325.


In Chicago’s 94–90 Friday loss at Milwaukee, Coby White had his worst game since coming back Dec. 19 from NBA health-and-safety protocols, snapping a streak of 13 consecutive games scoring in double figures. White had seven points on 3 of 15 shooting, missing all nine 3-point attempts with four rebounds and four assists for a -0.1 game score.

For the first time since Tony Bradley came out of the protocols on Jan. 7, he didn’t play (coach’s decision).

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Cole Anthony scored a season-low four points and put up a career-low -2.4 game score in Orlando’s 116–114 home loss Friday to the Los Angeles Lakers. He was 2 of 9 from the floor, missed all four 3-point attempts and had four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three turnovers. He had a season-low and team-low plus/minus of -28.


After putting together five consecutive double-figure scoring games, Nassir Little has tailed off in the last two games. He went scoreless Wednesday at Miami, then had seven points, eight rebounds and two assists in Portland’s 109–105 Friday win at Boston for a 5.3 game score.


Day’Ron Sharpe had scored in double figures for three games in a row before collecting six points and 10 rebounds in Brooklyn’s 117–102 home Friday win over San Antonio. His 6.4 game score was the second-lowest in his stretch of six consecutive starts.


In the G League Friday, Justin Jackson had 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists in his Texas Legends’ 110–107 road win over the Oklahoma City Blue. Jackson was 5 of 25 from the floor and 3 of 13 from 3-point range.

(Thursday through Saturday)
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
116–105
Friday loss vs. Los Angeles Lakers — Started; 28 minutes, 4 points, 2–9 FG, 0–4 3FG, 0–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers, -28, -2.5 game score
Season statistics —
33 games, 18.2 points, 39.6 FG%, 32.8 3FG%, 83.5 FT%, 6.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists
Up next — 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Chicago; 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Los Angeles Clippers
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
133–127 loss Saturday at Milwaukee —
Started; 38 minutes, 29 points, 11–18 FG, 3–6 3FG, 4–6 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, -15, 23.9 game score
Season statistics
— 44 games, 16.6 points, 45.7 FG%, 41.8 3FG%, 82.8 FT%, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Up next — 7:30 Tuesday at Boston; 7:30 Wednesday at Atlanta
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Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
94–90
Friday loss at Milwaukee — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 31 games, 3.8 points, 57.1 FG%, 76.5 FT%, 4.3 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist
Up next — 6 p.m. Sunday at Orlando; 8 p.m. Monday at Oklahoma City
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Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
109–101 Thursday loss vs. Phoenix —
20 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–3 3FG, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, +3, 3.8 game score
Season statistics —
38 games, 6.3 points, 37.9 FG%, 32.0 3P%, 73.7 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Up next —
7:30 Sunday vs. Memphis; 10 p.m. Tuesday at Golden State, TNT
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Ed Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers center
9487 Saturday win vs. Oklahoma City —
Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics —
13 games, 1.5 points, 75.0 FG%, 16.7 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 0.1 of an assist
Up next — 7 p.m. Monday vs. New York; 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Milwaukee
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Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers guard
116–105
Friday win at Orlando — Didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the third consecutive game and six of the last nine
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 — 6 p.m. Sunday at Miami, NBATV; 7:30 Tuesday at Brooklyn, TNT
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Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
102–101
Friday loss vs. Los Angeles Clippers — Missed fifth consecutive game with right hip pain
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. Sunday at San Antonio; 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. New Orleans
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Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
109–101 Thursday win at Dallas —
20 minutes, 7 points, 2–7 FG, 1–6 3FG, 2–2 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, -14, 5.9 game score
113–103 Saturday win vs. Indiana — 25 minutes, 8 points, 2–9 FG, 2–7 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, -5, 3.6 game score
Season statistics —
42 games, 11.6 points, 45.1 FG%, 42.3 3FG%, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Up next — 9 p.m. Monday vs. Utah, NBATV; 10 p.m. Wednesday at Utah, ESPN
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Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers wing
109–105 Friday win at Boston —
Started; 33 minutes, 7 points, 3–7 FG, 1–4 3FG, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, +11, 5.3 game score
Season statistics — 39 games, 9.3 points, 44.4 FG%, 31.2 3P%, 74.2 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Up next — 6 p.m. Sunday at Toronto; 10 p.m. Tuesday vs. Minnesota
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Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
109–101 Thursday loss vs. Phoenix —
Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
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 play at 5 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. Tuesday at Iowa Wolves; Mavs at home vs. Memphis 7:30 Sunday
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Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
117–102
Friday win at San Antonio — Started; 14 minutes, 6 points, 3–6 FG, 10 rebounds, 1 foul, +2, 6.4 game score
Season NBA statistics —
20 games, 6.5 points, 59.4 FG%, 33.3% 3P%, 65.2% FT, 4.7 rebounds, 0.4 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 — 8 p.m. Sunday at Minnesota; 7:30 Tuesday vs. Los Angeles Lakers, TNT
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Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
94–90 Friday loss at Milwaukee —
Started; 36 minutes, 7 points, 3–15, 0–9 3FG, 1–1 FT, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 turnover, -8, -0.1 game score
Season statistics — 26 games, 12.5 points, 44.7 FG%, 37.1 3P%, 2.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Up next — 6 p.m. Sunday at Orlando; 8 p.m. Monday at Oklahoma City
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In the G League
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends (Mavericks affiliate) forward
110–107Friday win at Oklahoma City Blue —
Started; 40 minutes, 18 points, 5–25 FG, 3–13 3FG, 3–3 FT, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, +2
NBA season statistics —
4 games, 3.8 points, 62.5% FG, 60% 3FG, 1.5 rebounds
G League season statistics for Texas Legends— 15 games, 23.6 points, 44.2% FG, 41.7% 3FG, 82.1 FT%, 7.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.9 of a steal
Up next — 5 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. Tuesday at Iowa Wolves (Minnesota affiliate)
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