By R.L. Bynum
After a slow start to the season, Harrison Barnes has put several solid games together, and it’s not a coincidence that his Sacramento Kings have won five consecutive games.
Barnes collected 16 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals Thursday night as the host Kings rolled to a 130–112 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
Sacramento (8–6) has won eight of 10 games for the first time since the 2005–06 season after losing their first four games. It’s the Kings’ first five-game win streak since the 2020–21 season. They haven’t won six in a row since the 2004–05 season.
Barnes scored in single digits in the Kings’ first four games but has done that only once in the last five. Including a 17.5 against the Spurs, Barnes has four double-digit game scores in the last five games after doing it only twice in the first nine games.
Barnes is 22 of 38 from the floor in the last five games after going 28 of 76 in the first nine games.
In the only other Thursday game involving Tar Heels, the Brooklyn Nets won at Portland 109–107.
Nassir Little had four points, three rebounds, an assist and a block in 13 minutes for the Trail Blazers and Day’Ron Sharpe didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the first time in six games.
After a 13-point fourth quarter the previous night in a victory, Reggie Bullock was scoreless in 33 minutes, missing all six shots (all 3-point attempts), in the Dallas Mavericks’ 101–92 Wednesday home loss to the Houston Rockets.
It was Bullock’s third scoreless game of the season, and he’s scored three points or fewer in four other games. Theo Pinson didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the third consecutive game.
Justin Jackson played a season-high 10 minutes in Boston’s 126–101 Wednesday night win at Atlanta. Jackson, who hardly touched the ball on the offensive end in the last five minutes, missed his only shot and had a rebound and a block.
In Chicago’s 124–110 Wednesday loss at New Orleans, Tony Bradley had three points and a rebound in two minutes. Coby White missed his eighth consecutive game with a left quadricep contusion but has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s home game against Orlando.
Cole Anthony missed his 10th consecutive game with a right internal oblique tear, a 126–108 Orlando loss Wednesday against Minnesota. He has already been ruled out for Friday’s game at Chicago.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
126–108 Wednesday loss vs. Minnesota — Missed 10th consecutive games with a right internal oblique tear
Season statistics — 4 games, 15.5 points, 41.5 FG%, 35.0 3P%, 73.4 FT%, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.7 turnovers, 1.0 steal
Next games — 8 p.m. Friday at Chicago; 7 p.m. Saturday at Indiana
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
130–112 Thursday win vs. San Antonio — Started; 29 minutes, 16 points, 4–7 FG, 1–3 3FG, 7–8 FT, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, +7, 17.5 game score
Season statistics — 14 games, 11.6 points, 43.9 FG%, 25.5 3FG%, 83.6 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Next games — 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Detroit; 8 p.m. Tuesday at Memphis
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Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
Age 24 | 6–10, 248 | sixth NBA season | UNC 2016–17 (1 season)
124–110 Wednesday loss at New Orleans — 2 minutes, 3 points, 1–1 FG, 1–1 FT, 1 rebound, +3
Season statistics — 5 games, 5 points, 1–2 FG, 3–3 FT, 6 rebounds
Next games — 8 p.m. Friday vs. Orlando; 8 p.m. Monday vs. Boston
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Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
101–92 Wednesday loss vs. Houston — Started; 33 minutes, 0 points, 0–6 FG, 0–6 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 fouls, -16
Season statistics — 14 games, 4.9 points, 29.5 FG%, 29.2 3P%, 57.1 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Next games — 8:30 Friday vs. Denver; 7:30 Sunday vs. Denver
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Justin Jackson, Boston Celtics forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 220| sixth NBA season | UNC 2014–17 (3 seasons)
126–101 Wednesday win at Atlanta — 10 minutes, 0 points, 0–1 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1 rebound, 1 block, plus/minus of 0
Season statistics — 4 games, 6 points, 2–8 FG, 2–8 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
Next games — 8:30 Friday at New Orleans; 8 p.m. Monday at Chicago
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Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
Off Wednesday and Thursday
Season statistics — 13 games, 5.6 points, 69.6 FG%, 50.0 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist, 1.6 blocks
Next games — 9 p.m. Friday vs. Phoenix; 10 p.m. Saturday at Portland, NBATV
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Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers small forward
Age 22 | 6–5, 220 | fourth NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
109–107 Thursday loss vs. Brooklyn — 13 minutes, 4 points, 1–6 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 foul, +7, 2.1 game score
Season statistics — 15 games, 6.1 points, 49.3 FG%, 40.6 3P%, 2.5 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Next games — 10 p.m. Saturday vs. Utah, NBATV; 8 p.m. Monday at Milwaukee
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Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
101–92 Wednesday loss vs. Houston — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 2 games, 7 minutes, 2 points, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Next games — 8:30 Friday vs. Denver; 7:30 Sunday vs. Denver
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Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
109–107 Thursday win at Portland — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 11 games, 2.8 points, 44.0 FG%, 1–2 3P, 3.2 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist
Next games — 7 p.m. Sunday vs. Memphis; 7:30 Tuesday at Philadelphia, TNT
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Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 22 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
124–110 Wednesday loss at New Orleans — Missed eighth consecutive game with a left quadricep contusion
Season statistics — 7 games, 8.1 points, 38.2 FG%, 29.4 3P%, 1.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Friday vs. Orlando; 8 p.m. Monday vs. Boston
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Out while recovering from surgery
— Phoenix forward Cameron Johnson is expected to return in early December or as late as early January after having right knee surgery on Nov. 8. His season statistics: 8 games, 13.0 points, 44.6 FG%, 43.1 3P%, 72.7 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists
— Memphis forward Danny Green will miss most of the season after surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee suffered in May.
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Get an explanation of the game score metric here.
Photo
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