By R.L. Bynum
Garrison Brooks isn’t on an NBA roster, but he’s having the sort of G League season for the Westchester Knicks that makes a good case that he should be. Through six games, he’s the league’s leading rebounder.
Meanwhile, Harrison Barnes can’t be stopped in the last seven games, and the Sacramento Kings can’t be beaten behind his play and leadership.
Brooks continued his consistent play on Tuesday night with 14 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double in six games as Westchester lost its home opener 110–108 against the College Park Skyhawks.
Westchester is struggling at 1–5, but Brooks is not.
Brooks is averaging a double-double with 16.3 points and a league-leading 14.2 rebounds per game (the next-highest is former Duke center Mark Williams of Greensboro at 13.0) and has been a consistent statistic-stuffer.
Brooks:
— scored a career-high 24 points (with 17 rebounds) in a 110–109 loss Nov. 11 over the Raptors.
— pulled down a career-high 19 rebounds (with 22 points) in the Knicks’ 119–111 season-opening loss Nov. 4 at Maine; his college high was 14 for UNC in a 92–79 win Feb. 29, 2020, at Syracuse.
— dished out a career-high six assists in Sunday’s 105–97 win at College Park (with nine points and 12 rebounds); that matched the college high he achieved twice at UNC: in a 113–96 win at N.C. State on Feb. 5, 2019, and in a 79–77 loss at Virginia Tech on Jan. 22, 2020.
He’s developed a good all-around game, including a pretty reliable mid-range jump shot.
Brooks, who was a commentator on the streaming ESPN3 TV broadcast of Live Action With Carolina Basketball, has two former ACC players as teammates in former Duke guard Trevor Keels and former Florida State guard MJ Walker.
Barnes followed up a 27-point game two nights earlier with 26 points and a season-high four 3-pointers as Sacramento won Tuesday at Memphis 113–109 for the Kings’ seventh consecutive victory.
The franchise’s longest win streak since November 2004 jumped Sacramento to third in the Western Conference at 10–6, a half-game behind leaders Phoenix and Utah. The Kings’ streak of scoring at least 120 points ended, though, at six.
Sacramento coach Mike Brown credited Barnes with helping the Kings hold a 14-point fourth-quarter lead.
“He really settled us down down the stretch,” Brown said. “Obviously, we were haywire out there. Going crazy, and Harrison just made some big plays down the stretch.”
Barnes is 8 for 17 from 3-point range in the last four games, and hit two huge 3-pointers in the final quarter.
It was the first time Barnes has scored at least 26 points in consecutive games since 2018 for the Dallas Mavericks, when he netted 29 points in a 114–103 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 28, then scored 30 points in a 114–110 home win against the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 2.
With a game score of 16.1, Barnes has double-digit game scores in six of his last eight games after doing it only twice in the first nine games. Sacramento was 3–6 in those games.
In Brooklyn’s 115–106 Tuesday loss at Philadelphia, Day’Ron Sharpe had one rebound and one block in three scoreless minutes.
In his second game back after missing eight games because of a left quad contusion, Coby White contributed nine points, two rebounds, three assists, one steal and a block in the Chicago Bulls’ 121–107 home win over the Boston Celtics on Monday.
Neither the Bulls’ Tony Bradley nor the Celtics’ Justin Jackson played in the game (coach’s decision).
In Utah’s 121–114 road loss Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers, Walker Kessler had four points and two rebounds in 12 minutes.
Nassir Little had six points, two rebounds and two assists in Portland’s 119–111 Monday loss at Milwaukee.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
123–102 Monday loss at Indiana — Missed 13th 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 — 7 p.m. Friday vs. Philadelphia; 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Philadelphia
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Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
113–109 Tuesday win at Memphis — Started; 33 minutes, 26 points, 7–13 FG, 4–8 3FG, 8–8 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 5 turnovers, 2 fouls, -3, 16.1 game score
Season statistics — 16 games, 13.5 points, 47.1 FG%, 29.8 3FG%, 86.3 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Next games — 7:30 Wednesday at Atlanta; 8 p.m. Friday at Boston
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Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
Age 24 | 6–10, 248 | sixth NBA season | UNC 2016–17 (1 season)
121–107 Monday win vs. Boston — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 5 games, 12 minutes, 5 points, 1–2 FG, 3–3 FT, 6 rebounds
Next games — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Milwaukee; 8 p.m. Friday at Oklahoma City
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Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
Off Monday and Tuesday
Season statistics — 16 games, 5.1 points, 31.1 FG%, 29.3 3P%, 57.1 FT%, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist
Next games — 7:30 Wednesday at Boston, ESPN; 5 p.m. Saturday at Toronto
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Justin Jackson, Boston Celtics forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 220| sixth NBA season | UNC 2014–17 (3 seasons)
121–107 Monday loss at Chicago — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 4 games, 25 minutes, 6 points, 2–8 FG, 2–8 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
Next games — 7:30 Wednesday vs. Dallas, ESPN; 8 p.m. Friday vs. Sacramento
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Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
121–114 Monday loss at Los Angeles Clippers — 12 minutes, 4 points, 2–2 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, -4, 3.3 game score
Season statistics — 16 games, 5.3 points, 68.5 FG%, 50.0 FT%, 5.3 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 1.3 blocks
Next games — 9 p.m. Wednesday vs. Detroit; 10:30 Friday at Golden State
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Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers small forward
Age 22 | 6–5, 220 | fourth NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
119–111 Monday loss at Milwaukee — 21 minutes, 6 points, 3–8 FG, 0–3 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, +9, 2.2 game score
Season statistics — 17 games, 6.2 points, 50.0 FG%, 40.5 3P%, 2.5 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Next games — 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cleveland; 7:30 Friday at New York
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Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
Off Monday and Tuesday
Season statistics — 3 games, 11 minutes, 2 points, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Next games — 7:30 Wednesday at Boston, ESPN; 5 p.m. Saturday at Toronto
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Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
115–106 Tuesday loss at Philadelphia — 3 minutes, 1 rebound, 1 block, 2 fouls, +5, 0.6 game score
Season statistics — 13 games, 2.6 points, 44.4 FG%, 1–2 3P, 2.8 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist
Next games — 7:30 Wednesday at Toronto; 8 p.m. Friday at Indiana
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Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 22 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
121–107 Monday win vs. Boston — 14 minutes, 9 points, 2–8 FG, 1–6 3FG, 4–4 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, -3, 7.6 game score
Season statistics — 9 games, 7.3 points, 35.9 FG%, 26.8 3P%, 1.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Milwaukee; 8 p.m. Friday at Oklahoma City
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In the G League
Garrison Brooks, Westchester Knicks center
Age 23 | 6–10, 240 | Rookie| UNC 2017–21 (4 seasons)
119–111 Nov. 4 loss at Maine — Started; 36 minutes, 22 points, 10–16 FG, 0–2 3FG, 19 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 fouls, 1 steal, +1
121–114 Nov. 6 loss at Maine — Started; 38 minutes, 15 points, 4–7 FG, 0–1 3FG, 4–4 FT, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 fouls, 4 steals, 2 turnovers, +6
122–115 Nov. 10 loss at Raptors 905 — Started; 38 minutes, 14 points, 7–11 FG, 0–1 3FG, 0–4 FT, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 fouls, 3 turnovers, -8
110–109 Nov. 11 loss at Raptors 905 — Started; 39 minutes, 24 points, 10–12 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2–2 FT, 17 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, +8
105–97 Sunday win at College Park — Started; 33 minutes, 9 points, 4–9 FG, 1–1 FT, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 fouls, 3 steals, 1 turnover, 1 block, +18
110–108 Tuesday loss vs. College Park — Started; 38 minutes, 14 points, 6–12 FG, 0–2 3FG, 1–2 FT, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 fouls, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 block, +10
Season statistics — 6 games, 16.3 points, 61.2 FG%, 0–6 3P, 14.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 steals
Next games — 7:30 Saturday vs. Long Island; 7 p.m. Monday vs. Greensboro
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.
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