Tar Heels in pros: Green has season-best game on night he finally gets Raptors championship ring; Jackson’s season ends with playoff loss; Pinson returns

By R.L. Bynum

Even though his Philadelphia 76ers lost, it was a special night for Danny Green.

He finally got his third championship ring 1,029 days after he helped the Toronto Raptors win the 2019 NBA title.

After being awarded the ring before the game, Green scored 18 points and six 3-pointers, both season-highs, in the Sixers’ 119–114 road loss to the Raptors.

“It was everything I expected it to be,” said Green, who has played 197 games for two teams, winning another title in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers, since that Toronto title. “It was great. Great to see everyone again.”

Green got a 45-second standing ovation from the Toronto fans after Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam presented him with the ring in a pregame ceremony.

“Obviously, to have Fred and Pascal, only a few guys on that team are still there, to present the ring to me, but it was good to see them,” Green said. “Good to show love, always good to be in front of these great fans here in this arena, see my people, friends and family and the other staff that I used to be with.”

The long delay in getting his ring was, of course, because of the pandemic.

Green would have gotten it in March 2020 while with the Los Angeles Lakers, but their game at Toronto was canceled. In February 2021, Green didn’t get the ring when Philadelphia played on the road against the Raptors since they were playing their home games in Tampa.

It appeared that Green would get his ring earlier this season on Dec. 28. But with the omicron variant limiting Toronto’s crowds to 50% capacity, they decided to delay the ceremony until Thursday.

“I always called him a glue guy for that team, which is an important thing,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “A veteran who won a lot, was a great pro, was available. I don’t think he felt the greatest a lot during the season, but he always wanted to go out there and play, loved to play.”

In addition to the titles won with the Lakers and Raptors, Green won a title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014.

“Winning is not luck,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers said. “Danny has been in the right places because they needed him there. It’s one of the reasons we wanted him and he’s been great for us as well.”

Before the game, Toronto rookie Scottie Barnes wore a 2019 Raptors championship jacket given to him by Green, who wore a red-and-black sequined jacket to the postgame press conference.

“He looked great,” Green said. “He was representing me well.”

With Philadelphia guard Matisse Thybulle listed as “ineligible for the game” (speculation is that he couldn’t play because he isn’t vaccinated), Green started for the first time since Feb. 15.

“He’s been around winning, he knows the characteristics of teams,” Rivers said. “He knows how hard it is to win. He knows all the stuff that it takes. I say it all the time, people have no idea how hard winning is … It’s so brutally hard to win one, it just is. Danny’s done it several times in his career … just remarkable.”

Green scored in double figures for the second time since Dec. 3 and the first time since he had 11 points on Jan. 29 against Sacramento. It was Green’s best scoring night since he scored 18 against Phoenix on April 21, 2021.

His 17.7 game score was a season-high and Green’s best since a 23.1 in a 28-point game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 25, 2021.

Green’s 3-pointer with 3:31 left cut the Sixers’ deficit to five, but Toronto responded with a 9–5 run.


Wayne Ellington played for the first time since March 16, collecting six points and four rebounds in 16 minutes in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 128–112 Thursday loss at Golden State. After missing two games in mid-March with a non-COVID-19-related illness, he didn’t play (coach’s decision) in the previous eight games before Thursday.


Justin Jackson’s season ended Thursday with his Texas Legends’ 120–103 road loss to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the Western Conference semifinals of the G League playoffs. Jackson, who missed all nine 3-point attempts, finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal.

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Texas (the Mavericks’ affiliate) was the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and had advanced Tuesday with a 115–110 win over the No. 4-seed Birmingham Squadron (the Pelicans’ affiliate). No. 1-seed Rio Grande (the Rockets’ affiliate) had a first-round bye.


In Dallas’ 131–113 Wednesday victory at Detroit, Theo Pinson played for the first time since Feb. 8. Pinson, who had been out with a right fifth finger fracture, scored two points in two minutes after missing 24 consecutive games.

Reggie Bullock had nine points on three 3-pointers with three rebounds and two assists in the game.


Coby White collected 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in Chicago’s 117–94 home loss Wednesday to Boston. Tony Bradley had five points and a rebound in six minutes.


In the Phoenix Suns’ 113–109 Wednesday road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Cameron Johnson had seven points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.


Cole Anthony missed his second consecutive Orlando game, a 128–101 Thursday loss at Charlotte, with a left toe sprain.

(Wednesday and Thursday)
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
128–101 Thursday loss at Charlotte —
Missed second consecutive game with a left toe sprain
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. Sunday vs. Miami (last game of the season)
———————————————
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Off Wednesday
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
———————————————
Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
117–94 Wednesday loss vs. Boston —
6 minutes, 5 points, 2–3 FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 turnover, -1, 3.0 game score
Season statistics —
54 games, 2.8 points, 58.3 FG%, 66.7 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist
Up next — 8 p.m. Friday vs. Charlotte; 8:30 Sunday at Minnesota
———————————————
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
131–113 Wednesday win at Detroit
Started; 31 minutes, 9 points, 3–5 FG, 3–5 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, +19, 7.2 game score
Season statistics — 66 games, 8.7 points, 40.6 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 83.0 FT%, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Up next —
8:30 Friday vs. Portland; 9:30 Sunday vs. San Antonio
———————————————
Ed Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers center
Off Wednesday and Thursday
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
———————————————
Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers guard
128–112 Thursday loss at Golden State
— 16 minutes, 6 points, 1–5 FG, 1–5 3FG, 3–4 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers, -13, 1.7 game score
Season statistics — 41 games, 6.3 points, 40.4 FG%, 38.8 3FG%, 5–10 FT, 1.8 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist
Up next — 10:30 Friday vs. Oklahoma City; 9:30 Sunday at Denver
———————————————
Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
119–114 Thursday loss at Toronto
— Started; 38 minutes, 18 points, 6–9 FG, 6–7 3FG, 0–1 FT, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, +13, 17.7 game score
Season statistics — 60 games, 5.9 points, 39.4 FG%, 38.2 3FG%, 19–23 FT, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists
Up next — 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Indiana; 7 p.m. Sunday vs. Detroit
———————————————
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
113–109 Wednesday loss at Los Angeles Clippers —
32 minutes, 7 points, 3–13 FG, 1–9 3FG, 0–1FT, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, -21, 4.7 game score
Season statistics —
64 games, 12.6 points, 45.9 FG%, 42.9 3FG%, 85.6 FT%, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Up next — 9:30 Friday at Utah, NBATV; 9:30 Sunday vs. Sacramento
———————————————
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
———————————————
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
131–113 Wednesday win at Detroit
2 minutes, 2 points, 2–2 FT, -1, 2.0 game score
NBA season statistics —
17 games, 1.8 points, 28.1 FG%, 24.0 3FG%, 6–6 FT, 1.1 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 — 8:30 Friday vs. Portland; 9:30 Sunday vs. San Antonio
———————————————
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
110–98 Wednesday win at New York —
Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
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 Friday vs. Cleveland; 3:30 Sunday vs. Indiana
———————————————
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
117–94 Wednesday loss vs. Boston —
26 minutes, 10 points, 3–6 FG, 2–3 3FG, 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, -8, 8.8 game score
Season statistics —
60 games, 12.6 points, 43.3 FG%, 37.8 3P%, 86.2 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Up next — 8 p.m. Friday vs. Charlotte; 8:30 Sunday at Minnesota
———————————————
In the G League
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends forward
120–103 Thursday loss at Rio Grande Valley Vipers —
Started; 40 minutes, 15 points, 6–20 FG, 0–9 3FG, 2–3 FT, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, -22
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 
Season over
———————————————

Photo via @Raptors

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