Tar Heels in pros: Jackson leads Legends to first G League playoff win; White, Barnes, Johnson score in double figures

By R.L. Bynum

Justin Jackson scored 24 points Tuesday night to lead the Texas Legends to a 115–110 victory over the Birmingham Squadron in the first round of the G League playoffs for the first postseason win in franchise history.

The Legends, the No. 5-seed in the Western Conference, were the only road team to win a first-round game. They knocked off the No. 4-seed Squadron, the affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Jackson contributed three 3-pointers and five assists for Texas, which is the affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks. Point guard Carlik Jones had 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for Texas.

The Legends advanced to a second-round game Thursday on the road against the No. 1-seed Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Houston Rockets’ affiliate, who got a first-round bye.

The winner of that game will face the winner of Thursday’s game between the No. 3-seed South Bay Lakers at the No. 2-seed Agua Caliente Clippers for the Western Conference title on Sunday. Should the Legends make the G League Finals, that would be a best-of-three series.


It didn’t go as well for Day’Ron Sharpe’s Long Island Nets, who lost 133–116 on the road against the Delaware Blue Coats (the Philadelphia 76ers’ affiliate). The Nets were the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and the Blue Coats the No. 3 seed.

Sharpe collected 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a block.

With Long Island’s season over, Sharpe will be with Brooklyn the rest of the season, although playing time has been tough to come by. He last played for Brooklyn on Feb. 28.


Coby White contributed 13 points, three 3-pointers and three rebounds in Chicago’s 127–106 home loss to Milwaukee. He played 31 minutes and will likely continue to get a good amount of playing time since it appears that Lonzo Ball won’t return this season from a knee injury.

Tony Bradley had two points and two rebounds in four minutes.

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Cameron Johnson has another solid game for Phoenix with 12 points, three 3-pointers and five rebounds in the Suns’ 121–110 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. For the eighth consecutive Lakers game, Wayne Ellington didn’t play (coach’s decision).


Danny Green had three points and two rebounds in Philadelphia’s 131–122 win at Indiana. Green hasn’t scored in double figures in his last 28 games, last doing it with 11 points on Jan. 29 against Sacramento.


Cole Anthony, who played less than three minutes Sunday because of left toe sprain, missed Orlando’s 120–115 loss to Cleveland.

Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
120–115 loss vs. Cleveland
— Missed game with a left toe strain
Season statistics
— 64 games, 16.6 points, 39.3 FG%, 33.9 3FG%, 85.4 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists
Up next — 7 p.m. Thursday at Charlotte; 7 p.m. Sunday vs. Miami
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
123–109 loss vs. New Orleans
— Started; 30 minutes, 12 points, 4–9 FG, 0–5 3FG, 4–4 FT, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, -10, 9.8 game score
Season statistics — 75 games, 16.8 points, 47.0 FG%, 39.5 3FG%, 83.0 FT%, 5.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Up next — 9:30 Saturday at Los Angeles Clippers; 9:30 Sunday at Phoenix
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Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
127–106 loss vs. Milwaukee —
4 minutes, 2 points, 1–1 FG, 2 rebounds, +3, 2.3 game score
Season statistics —
53 games, 2.8 points, 58.0 FG%, 68.0 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist
Up next — 8 p.m. Wednesday vs. Boston; 8 p.m. Friday vs. Charlotte
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Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
Off Tuesday
Season statistics — 65 games, 8.7 points, 40.4 FG%, 36.0 3P%, 83.0 FT%, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Up next —
7 p.m. Wednesday at Detroit; 8:30 Friday vs. Portland
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Ed Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers center
120–115 loss at Orlando
Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics —
30 games, 0.9 of a point, 68.8 FG%, 42.9 FT%, 2.1 rebounds, 0.2 of an assist
Up next — 7:30 Friday at Brooklyn; 3:30 Sunday vs. Milwaukee
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Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers guard
121–110 loss at Phoenix
Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 40 games, 6.3 points, 40.8 FG%, 39.3 3FG%, 4–5 FT, 1.7 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist
Up next — 10:00 Thursday at Golden State; 10:30 Friday vs. Oklahoma City
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Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
131–122 win at Indiana —
20 minutes, 3 points, 1–5 FG, 1–4 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assist, 1 block, -10, 3.0 game score
Season statistics — 59 games, 5.6 points, 38.6 FG%, 36.9 3FG%, 13–16 FT, 2.4 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Up next — 7:30 Thursday at Toronto; 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Indiana
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Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
121–110 win vs. Los Angeles Lakers —
25 minutes, 12 points, 4–11 FG, 3–7 3FG, 1–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, -3, 4.9 game score
Season statistics —
63 games, 12.7 points, 46.4 FG%, 43.6 3FG%, 86.4 FT%, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Up next — 10 p.m. Wednesday at Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN; 9:30 Friday at Utah, NBATV
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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 Tuesday
NBA season statistics —
16 games, 1.8 points, 28.1 FG%, 24.0 3FG%, 1.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists
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 — 7 p.m. Wednesday at Detroit; 8:30 Friday vs. Portland
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Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
133–116 loss at Delaware Blue Coats with Long Island Nets in G League playoffs
Started; 29 minutes, 15 points, 7–12 FG, 1–2 3FG, 0–1 FT, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 turnovers, 1 block, -8
Season NBA statistics — 32 games, 6.2 points, 57.7 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 58.5% FT, 5.0 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist
G League statistics (2021 part of season) — 4 games, 18.0 points, 47.8 FG%, 33.33P%, 85.7 FT%, 9.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 2.6 blocks
G League statistics (2022 part of season) — 10 games, 18.8 points, 51.0 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 40.0 FT%, 13.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists
Up next — 7:30 Wednesday at New York, ESPN; 7:30 Friday vs. Cleveland
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Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
127–106 loss vs. Milwaukee —
31 minutes, 13 points, 5–11 FG, 3–7 3FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, -13, 6.9 game score
Season statistics —
59 games, 12.6 points, 43.3 FG%, 37.5 3P%, 86.2 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Up next — 8 p.m. Wednesday vs. Boston; 8 p.m. Friday vs. Charlotte
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In the G League
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends forward
115–100 win at Birmingham Squadron —
Started; 43 minutes, 24 points, 7–16 FG, 3–7 3FG, 4–4 FT, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, +11
NBA season statistics — 7 games, 2.1 points, 33.3% FG, 33.3% 3FG, 1.0 rebounds, 0.3 of an assist
G League statistics (2022 part of season) — 28 games, 22.1 points, 41.5% FG, 36.3% 3FG, 88.2 FT%, 6.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists
G League statistics (2021 part of season) — 10 games, 22.7 points, 47.3% FG, 41.4% 3FG, 79.2 FT%, 7.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals 
Up next — 8 p.m. Thursday at Rio Grande Valley Vipers (ESPN News)
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