By R.L. Bynum
Cole Anthony hasn’t started for Orlando since his return from injury six games ago, but he scored in double figures for the fifth time, and the Magic have won back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Anthony collected 18 points, five assists and three rebounds in 23 minutes of the Magic’s 113–109 home victory Friday over the Toronto Raptors.
Anthony, in his third NBA season, missed 15 games with a right oblique tear before returning for the Nov. 30 home game against the Atlanta Hawks. Markelle Fultz, in his fifth season, made his season debut in the same game after recovering from a fractured big left toe and has started all six games since then at point guard.
It was Anthony’s third-best game score of the season at 19.2.
Harrison Barnes continues to help the Sacramento Kings be one of the NBA’s surprise teams.
Barnes scored 20 points and three 3-pointers in the Kings’ 106–95 win at Cleveland for the Kings’ fourth win in five games.
“All the little things that I think everyone did to just contribute to this one, I think it’s a good team win where everybody had an impact,” Barnes said.
Sacramento (14–10) is fifth in the Western Conference and rebounded from a 13-point loss Wednesday at Milwaukee on the second game of a six-game road trip.
“To come here after losing to Milwaukee, we wanted to make a statement, and we did,” Barnes said. “It was just us getting stops and playing with poise. Late in the fourth, we did a good job getting good looks and were able to capitalize.”
After averaging 24 points, 15.5 rebounds and two blocks in two G League games last week, Day’Ron Sharpe was back with the Brooklyn Nets for their Friday home 120–116 win against Atlanta. Sharpe played six scoreless minutes with two rebounds and a block.
That was Sharpe’s most playing time in an NBA game since logging 12 minutes and scoring a season-high seven points on Nov. 15 at Sacramento.
With Kevin Durant (knee), Kyrie Irving (adductor), Nic Claxton (hamstring), Joe Harris (ankle), Royce O’Neale (personal) and Seth Curry (ankle) all ruled out for Saturday’s game at Indiana, Sharpe likely will get lots of playing time.
Reggie Bullock contributed five points and five rebounds in Dallas’ 106–105 home loss to Milwaukee. It was the eighth time in the last nine games that he’s scored six points or fewer. The Mavericks’ Theo Pinson didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the second consecutive game.
In the Utah starting lineup for the second consecutive game, Walker Kessler had six points and seven rebounds in the Jazz’s 118–108 home loss to Minnesota.
Garrison Brooks put up another double-double in the G League for the Westchester Knicks with 19 points and 14 rebounds in a 113–108 win at Delaware, extending their win streak to five. He leads the league in rebounding at 12.2, with former Duke center Mark Williams of Greensboro second at 12.0.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
113–109 win vs. Toronto — Didn’t start; 23 minutes, 18 points, 7–10 FG, 3–5 3FG, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 4 fouls, -15, 19.2 game score
Season statistics — 10 games, 13.5 points, 42.5 FG%, 38.1 3P%, 82.1 FT%, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals
Next games — 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Toronto; 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Atlanta
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
106–95 win at Cleveland — Started; 36 minutes, 20 points, 5–9 FG, 3–6 3FG, 7–10 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 2 fouls, +9, 12.0 game score
Season statistics — 24 games, 13.8 points, 49.5 FG%, 31.8 3FG%, 82.9 FT%, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Next games — 6 p.m. Sunday at New York; 7 p.m. Tuesday at Philadelphia
Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
Age 24 | 6–10, 248 | sixth NBA season | UNC 2016–17 (1 season)
Off Thursday and Friday
Season statistics — 6 games, 15 minutes, 7 points, 2–4 FG, 2–2 FT, 7 rebounds
Next games — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Dallas; 6:30 Sunday at Atlanta
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
106–105 loss vs. Milwaukee — 19 minutes, 5 points, 2–3 FG, 1–2 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, -3, 5.5 game score
Season statistics — 24 games, 4.7 points, 30.6 FG%, 28.0 3P%, 66.7 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Next games — 8 p.m. Saturday at Chicago; 8:30 Monday vs. Oklahoma City
Justin Jackson, Boston Celtics forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 220| sixth NBA season | UNC 2014–17 (3 seasons)
Off Thursday and Friday
Season statistics — 10 games, 56 minutes, 6 points, 2–13 FG, 2–11 3FG, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 2 steals
Next games — 8:30 Saturday at Golden State, ABC; 10:30 Monday at Los Angeles Clippers, NBATV
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
118–108 loss vs. Minnesota — Started; 21 minutes, 6 points, 3–4 FG, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, plus/minus of 0, 6.5 game score
Season statistics — 25 games, 6.0 points, 76.2 FG%, 56.8 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist, 1.8 blocks
Next games — 9 p.m. Saturday at Denver; 9 p.m. Tuesday vs. New Orleans
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
106–105 loss vs. Milwaukee — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 7 games, 24 minutes, 4 points, 1–4 FG, 0–3 3FG, 2–2 FT, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Next games — 8 p.m. Saturday at Chicago; 8:30 Monday vs. Oklahoma City
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
120–116 Friday vs. Atlanta — 6 minutes, 0 points, 0–1 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, -2, -0.8 game score
Season NBA statistics — 16 games, 119 minutes, 41 points, 15–32 FG, 3–4 3FG, 8–12 FT, 45 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, 8 blocks
Season G League statistics — 2 games, 24.0 points, 21–28 FG, 0–3 3FG, 3–6 FT, 15.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 blocks
Next games — 7 p.m. Saturday at Indiana; 7 p.m. Monday at Washington
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 22 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Off Thursday and Friday
Season statistics — 16 games, 7.4 points, 41.3 FG%, 32.8 3P%, 1.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Dallas; 6:30 Sunday at Atlanta
In the G League
Garrison Brooks, Westchester Knicks center
Age 23 | 6–10, 240 | Rookie| UNC 2017–21 (4 seasons)
113–108 win at Delaware — Started; 33 minutes, 19 points, 9–13 FG, 1–1 FT, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 6 turnovers, +13
Season statistics — 13 games, 13.3 points, 62.5 FG%, 0–9 3P, 60.9 FT%, 12.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.7 of a block
Next games — 7 p.m. Tuesday at Long Island; 7 p.m. Thursday at Long Island
Out while recovering from surgery
— Phoenix forward Cameron Johnson is expected to return early this month 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.
Out until mid-January
— Portland forward Nassir Little suffered a mild femoral impaction fracture to his right hip on Nov. 29. His season statistics: 21 games, 5.5 points, 47.3 FG%, 37.2 3P%, 66.7 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Get an explanation of the game score metric here.
Photo via @OrlandoMagic
tarheeltribune.com 
