By R.L. Bynum
While All-Star Chris Paul recovers from a fractured right thumb, the league-leading Phoenix Suns will need big contributions from other players.
In the first game after the All-Star break, Cameron Johnson — in his 11th start of the season and the first time since Jan. 30 — was there to do his part. He collected 21 points, four 3-pointers, four rebounds, five assists and a block as the Suns easily won at Oklahoma City 124–104 for their eighth consecutive victory.
Johnson’s 19.4 game score was his sixth this season of at least 18, after doing that once in each of his first two NBA seasons. It was his 14th game with at least four 3-pointers, after combining to do it 10 times the previous two seasons.
Johnson started at small forward alongside Jae Crowder with Devin Booker taking over for Paul at point guard. Booker had 25 points, 12 assists and a career-high six steals.
Paul is expected to be out six to eight weeks for Phoenix, which leads Golden State by 6½ games for the league’s best record at 49–10.
Harrison Barnes contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals for Sacramento in a 128–110 home loss to Denver, the Kings’ third consecutive defeat.
On “The Draymond Green Show,” Green said (starting at the 43:30 mark) that he thinks Barnes still holds a grudge against him because of the way he recruited Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors in 2016. That led Warriors general manager Bob Myers to renounce Barnes’ rights, making him a free agent.
“Harrison Barnes, I think, to this day, still don’t like me for KD coming here,” Green said. “And the reality is, I didn’t tell [Myers] to trade you to bring KD in. The reality is, if KD did come in and you were still here, you would have had to come off the bench. It’s f—ing Kevin Durant. It just is what it is. I didn’t tell them to trade you. But he took it very personally because of that story that came out that I cried to KD in the car. He took it very personally at me.”
Green isn’t accurate when he calls it a trade, although Durant took Barnes’ spot on the roster.
Coby White had nine points on 4 of 10 shooting with two assists in Chicago’s 112–108 home win over Atlanta. Tony Bradley didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the first time since Jan. 26.
Day’Ron Sharpe scored seven points in six minutes of Brooklyn’s 129–106 home loss to Boston.
Wednesday night in the G League, Justin Jackson collected 18 points, eight rebounds and three steals in his Texas Legends’ 141–95 home loss to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (the Rockets’ affiliate).
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Off Thursday
Season statistics — 46 games, 17.7 points, 39.8 FG%, 33.7 3FG%, 85.5 FT%, 5.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Friday vs. Houston; 7 p.m. Monday vs. Indiana
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
128–110 loss vs. Denver — Started; 34 minutes, 14 points, 4–7 FG, 1–2 3FG, 5–6 FT, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, -13, 15.2 game score
Season statistics — 56 games, 16.9 points, 46.8 FG%, 41.0 3FG%, 82.9 FT%, 6.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Up next — 9 p.m. Saturday at Denver; 8 p.m. Monday at Oklahoma City
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Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
112–108 win vs. Atlanta — Didn’t play (coach’s decision); first time since Jan. 26
Season statistics — 45 games, 3.1 points, 57.9 FG%, 66.7 FT%, 3.7 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist
Up next — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Memphis; 7:30 Monday at Miami
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Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
Off Thursday
Season statistics — 49 games, 8.2 points, 41.5 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 85.7 FT%, 3.4 rebounds, 1.0 assist
Up next — 9 p.m. Friday at Utah; 7:30 Sunday at Golden State, ESPN
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Ed Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers center
106–103 loss at Detroit — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 19 games, 1.1 points, 64.3 FG%, 37.5 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 0.3 of an assist
Up next — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Washington; 7 p.m. Monday vs. Minnesota
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Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers guard
Off Thursday
Season statistics — 35 games, 6.1 points, 39.2 FG%, 38.5 3FG%, 4–5 FT, 1.7 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist
Up next — 10 p.m. Friday vs. Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN; 10 p.m. Sunday vs. New Orleans, ESPN
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Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
Off Thursday
Season statistics — 40 games, 6.4 points, 39.9 FG%, 37.6 3FG%, 12–14 FT, 2.4 rebounds, 1.0 assist
Up next — 8 p.m. Friday at Minnesota; 1 p.m. Sunday at New York, ABC
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Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
124–104 win at Oklahoma City — Started; 30 minutes, 21 points, 7–12 FG, 4–8 3FG, 3–3 FT, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, +4, 19.4 game score
Season statistics — 56 games, 12.0 points, 46.3 FG%, 43.2 3FG%, 85.2 FT%, 4.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Up next — 9 p.m. Friday vs. New Orleans; 3:30 Sunday vs. Utah, ABC
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Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers wing
Is out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder
Season statistics — 42 games, 9.8 points, 46.0 FG%, 33.1 3P%, 73.4 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists
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Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Off Thursday
NBA season statistics — 16 games, 1.8 points, 28.1 FG%, 24.0 3FG, 4–4 FT, 1.2 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist
G League season statistics — 14 games, 15.7 points, 40.4 FG%, 38.6 3FG%, 84.8 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals
Up next — 9 p.m. Friday at Utah; 7:30 Sunday at Golden State, ESPN
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Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
129–106 loss vs. Boston — 6 minutes, 7 points, 2–3 FG, 0–1 3FG, 3–4 FT, 1 rebound, 1 assist, +3, 6.7 game score
Season NBA statistics — 31 games, 6.1 points, 57.3 FG%, 20.0 3P%, 58.5% FT, 4.9 rebounds, 0.5 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 — 8:30 Saturday at Milwaukee, ABC; 7:30 Monday vs. Toronto
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Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
112–108 win vs. Atlanta — 20 minutes, 9 points, 4–10 FG, 1–4 3FG, 2 assists, 5 fouls, +6, 3.0 game score
Season statistics — 40 games, 13.9 points, 45.2 FG%, 39.8 3P%, 3.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Up next — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Memphis; 7:30 Monday at Miami
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In the G League
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends forward
141–95 Wednesday loss vs. Rio Grande Valley Vipers — Started; 34 minutes, 18 points, 5–15 FG, 0–5 3FG, 3–4 FT, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 4 turnovers, -28NBA season statistics — 7 games, 2.1 points, 33.3% FG, 33.3% 3FG, 1.0 rebounds, 0.3 of an assist
G League season statistics — 21 games, 22.9 points, 42.7% FG, 39.5% 3FG, 85.0 FT%, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Up next — 8:30 Saturday at Rio Grande Valley Vipers; 8:30 Tuesday at Austin Spurs
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Photo via @Suns
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