By R.L. Bynum
Cole Anthony came off the Orlando bench with one of his best games of the season in the Magic’s return home after a 2–3 West Coast road trip.
Anthony was efficient with 22 points in 26 minutes with two 3-pointers, three rebounds and four assists while going 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. That helped the Magic ease past the New Orleans Pelicans 123–110 on Friday.
Anthony, who was +19, is seventh in the league in free throw shooting percentage at 90.4%.
It was the 17th time this season he’s been perfect at the line, but the eight free throws were a season-high. His career high of 14 came in his 37-point game May 16, 2021, at Philadelphia.
“In that fourth quarter, as a unit I thought we really locked in,” said Anthony, whose game score of 19.0 was his fourth of at least 19 this season. “I thought we were pretty good with our rotations, and we did a good job of making them take tough shots.”
Orlando (17–28) is 12–8 after starting the season 5–20, good enough for 13th in the Eastern Conference.
Reggie Bullock stayed hot from the perimeter Friday in the Dallas Mavericks’ easy 115–90 home victory over Miami.
Bullock scored 15 points on five 3-pointers to give him multiple 3s in the last seven games and at least four in three of the last four games for Dallas (25–22, fifth in the Western Conference).
“We believe in him, he believes in himself. So that’s it; just keep shooting,” said Luka Dončić, who scored 34 points.
Although Bullock is averaging 17 points and is 19 of 29 from 3-point range (66%) in the last four games, his percentage of 31% is the lowest since he made 36% of his 3-point attempts in his rookie season (2013–14). His career-high was 44.5% for Detroit in the 2017–18 season.
“Just continue to just keep believing in my shot,” Bullock said. “I believe in the work that I continue to keep putting in. It was a very slow start for me, but the organization, the team, every day they’re telling me, ‘Shoot the ball, shoot the ball.’ ”
The pattern of Bullock getting better as the season progresses continues this season. He went from shooting 19.6% from 3-point range in November to 37.5% in December and is shooting 47.5% so far in January.
Theo Pinson played four scoreless minutes for the Mavericks.
Harrison Barnes had been on a roll of late, but even though he was held to 11 points on Friday, Sacramento kept rolling.
The Kings knocked off Oklahoma City 118–113 at home for their sixth consecutive victory and are third in the Western Conference at 26–18. Sacramento has two six-game win streaks in the same season for the first time since the 2002–03 season.
That was Barnes’ lowest point output since scoring 10 points on Dec. 30.
Walker Kessler scored two points, a season-low for the 12 games he’s started, as the Utah Jazz lost 117–106 at home Friday to the Brooklyn Nets. Kessler was 1 of 4 from the floor with six rebounds, a steal and a block.
Day’Ron Sharpe didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the Nets.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
123–110 Friday win vs. New Orleans — 26 minutes, 22 points, 6–9 FG, 2–4 3FG, 8–8 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, +19, 19.0 game score
Season statistics — 27 games, 11.8 points, 41.5 FG%, 31.6 3P%, 90.4 FT%, 4.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists
Next games — 7 p.m. Saturday at Washington; 7 p.m. Monday vs. Boston
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
118–113 Friday win vs. Oklahoma City — Started; 39 minutes, 11 points, 3–7 FG, 1–4 3FG, 4–4 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, -1, 7.3 game score
Season statistics — 44 games, 15.2 points, 48.1 FG%, 36.4 3FG%, 82.7 FT%, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Next games — 10 p.m. Saturday vs. Philadelphia; 10:30 Monday vs. Memphis, NBATV
Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
Age 25 | 6–10, 248 | sixth NBA season | UNC 2016–17 (1 season)
Off Friday
Season statistics — 10 games, 25 minutes, 12 points, 4–8 FG, 2–4 3FG, 2–2 FT, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Next games — 8 p.m. Monday vs. Atlanta; 7 p.m. Tuesday at Indiana
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
115–90 Friday win vs. Miami — Didn’t start; 28 minutes, 15 points, 5–7 FG, 5–6 3FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 fouls, +33 (season-high), 15.2 game score
Season statistics — 45 games, 6.3 points, 38.6 FG%, 36.1 3P%, 65.4 FT%, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Next games — 7:30 Sunday vs. Los Angeles Clippers; 8:30 Tuesday vs. Washington
Justin Jackson, Boston Celtics forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 220| sixth NBA season | UNC 2014–17 (3 seasons)
Off Friday
Season statistics — 19 games, 83 minutes, 15 points, 5–22 FG, 4–16 3FG, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 blocks, 4 steals
Next games — 5 p.m. Saturday at Toronto; 7 p.m. Monday at Orlando
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210| fourth NBA season | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
Off Friday
Season statistics — 9 games, 13.7 points, 44.1 FG%, 42.1 3P%, 85.0FT%, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Next games — 9 p.m. Saturday vs. Indiana; 8 p.m. Sunday vs. Memphis
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
117–106 Friday loss vs. Brooklyn — Started; 25 minutes, 2 points, 1–4 FG, 0–2 FT, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 fouls, -14, 2.7 game score
Season statistics — 46 games, 7.4 points, 70.6 FG%, 54.1 FT%, 7.2 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist, 2.0 blocks
Next games — 9 p.m. Monday vs. Charlotte, Bally Sports SE; 10 p.m. Wednesday at Portland
Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers forward
Age 22 | 6–5, 220 | third NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Off Friday
Season statistics — 24 games, 5.8 points, 47.2 FG%, 39.2 3P%, 61.6 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist
Next games — 9 p.m. Sunday vs. Los Angeles Lakers; 10 p.m. Monday vs. San Antonio
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
115–90 Friday win vs. Miami — 4 minutes, -3, 0.3 game score
Season statistics — 24 games, 131 minutes, 41 points, 12–34 FG, 9–24 3FG, 8–9 FT, 27 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals
Next games — 7:30 Sunday vs. Los Angeles Clippers; 8:30 Tuesday vs. Washington
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
117–106 Friday win at Utah — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season NBA statistics — 23 games, 189 minutes, 78 points, 30–57 FG, 4–5 3FG, 14–21 FT, 70 rebounds, 15 assists, 3 steals, 13 blocks
G League statistics — 14 games, 16.3 points, 64.4 2PFG%, 21.1 3FG%, 57.1 FT%, 12.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 blocks
Next games — 8:30 Sunday at Golden State, NBATV; 7:30 Wednesday at Philadelphia, ESPN
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 22 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Off Friday
Season statistics — 37 games, 8.4 points, 43.5 FG%, 37.4 3P%, 2.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Monday vs. Atlanta; 7 p.m. Tuesday at Indiana
In the G League
Garrison Brooks, Westchester Knicks center
Age 23 | 6–10, 240 | Rookie | UNC 2017–21 (4 seasons)
Off Friday
Season statistics — 22 games, 13.3 points, 52.1 2PFG%, 0–5 3P, 52.1 FT%, 11.9 rebounds, 2.5 assist, 0.6 of a block
Next games — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Iowa; 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. Iowa, ESPN+
Out while recovering from surgery
— Memphis forward Danny Green had offseason surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee suffered in May, and is targeting to make his season debut before the All-Star break in February.
Get an explanation of the game score metric here.
Photo via @OrlandoMagic
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