By R.L. Bynum
The Phoenix Suns limited Cameron Johnson’s minutes in his third game back after recovering from knee surgery, but he made the most of his time on the court.
Johnson scored 24 points and six 3-pointers in only 18 minutes as the Suns rolled past the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night 128–97 for their fourth consecutive victory.
Phoenix had lost three in a row and 12 of its last 13 before Johnson returned Thursday, and the Suns haven’t lost since then. He sat out Saturday’s win for “injury management” and went without a 3-pointer on four attempts and scored eight in Sunday’s victory over Memphis.
But he had it all going on Tuesday night, when he led Charlotte 15–14 by himself after one quarter.
“It’s the NBA — you weather storms,” Johnson said. “Things don’t always go your way. We’ve found that out in the past couple of years. That doesn’t mean you tuck tail, run, sell the farm, or hide away forever. We have a lot of confidence in our group — top to bottom.”
Johnson started and scored 16 points in the first seven minutes, making all six shots, including four 3-point tries. He finished 9 of 11 from the floor and made six of seven 3-point attempts. His 22.5 game score is only topped this season-high 26.7 in his season-high 29-point game on Nov. 1 against Minnesota, the game before suffering his knee injury.
“To see that ball come off his hands as easy as it did tonight was pretty cool,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “When he’s making shots like that, it opens it up for everyone else.”
Johnson scored four first-quarter 3-pointers one day after fellow UNC alum Harrison Barnes notched five first-quarter 3-pointers in the Sacramento Kings’ 133–100 win over Memphis.
Memphis guard Danny Green said on his “Inside the Green Room” podcast Wednesday morning that he plans to make his season debut on Feb. 1 against Portland.
Green tore the anterior and lateral cruciate ligaments in his left knee playing for Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference semifinals in May, and the 76ers traded him to Memphis in June.
The Grizzlies are 31–16 and in second place in the Western Conference.
In the G League, Garrison Brooks produced his third consecutive double-double and 18th of the season. He collected 21 points and 12 rebounds and tied his season-high with seven assists to lead the Westchester Knicks to a 126–99 home win Tuesday over Iowa.
Justin Jackson played a season-high 14 minutes in the Boston Celtics’ 98–95 Tuesday loss at Miami, scoring three points on a 3-pointer and pulling down five rebounds.
Boston was playing without starters Jaylen Brown (right adductor injury), Al Horford (lower-back stiffness) and Marcus Smart (right ankle injury), as well as Malcolm Brogdon, who missed the game for personal reasons.
Coby White had eight points, three rebounds and three assists in Chicago’s 116–110 loss Tuesday at Indiana. Tony Bradley didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the second consecutive night.
One night after going scoreless, Reggie Bullock went 1 of 5 from the floor and had three points and three assists in Dallas’ 127–126 loss at Washington. Theo Pinson didn’t play (coach’s decision).
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
Off Tuesday
Season statistics — 29 games, 11.8 points, 42.6 FG%, 30.9 3P%, 89.5 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists
Next games — 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Indiana; 8 p.m. Friday at Miami
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
Off Tuesday
Season statistics — 46 games, 15.6 points, 48.8 FG%, 39.0 3FG%, 82.5 FT%, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Next games — 10 p.m. Wednesday vs. Toronto; 8 p.m. Saturday at Minnesota
Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
Age 25 | 6–10, 248 | sixth NBA season | UNC 2016–17 (1 season)
116–110 Tuesday loss at Indiana — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
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 — 7:30 Thursday at Charlotte, Bally Sports SE; 7 p.m. Saturday at Orlando
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
127–126 Tuesday loss vs. Washington — Didn’t start; 24 minutes, 3 points, 1–5 FG, 1–4 3FG, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 block, 2 fouls, -14, 2.6 game score
Season statistics — 47 games, 6.1 points, 37.6 FG%, 35.35 3P%, 65.4 FT%, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Next games — 10 p.m. Thursday at Phoenix, TNT; 9 p.m. Saturday at Utah
Justin Jackson, Boston Celtics forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 220| sixth NBA season | UNC 2014–17 (3 seasons)
98–95 Tuesday loss at Miami — 14 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–3 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 foul, -5, 2.4 game score
Season statistics — 21 games, 99 minutes, 18 points, 6–25 FG, 5–19 3FG, 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 blocks, 4 steals
Next games — 7:30 Thursday vs. New York, TNT; 8:30 Saturday vs. Los Angeles Lakers, ABC
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210| fourth NBA season | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
128–97 Tuesday win vs. Charlotte — Started; 18 minutes, 24 points, 9–11 FG, 6–7 3FG, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 fouls, +2, 22.5 game score
Season statistics — 11 games, 14.1 points, 46.9 FG%, 44.1 3P%, 82.6 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Next games — 10 p.m. Thursday vs. Dallas, TNT; 8 p.m. Saturday at San Antonio
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
Off Tuesday
Season statistics — 47 games, 7.6 points, 71.0 FG%, 55.1 FT%, 7.6 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist, 1.9 blocks
Next games — 10 p.m. Wednesday at Portland; 9 p.m. Saturday vs. Dallas
Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers forward
Age 22 | 6–5, 220 | third NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Off Tuesday
Season statistics — 26 games, 6.1 points, 48.8 FG%, 43.1 3P%, 61.5 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist
Next games — 10 p.m. Wednesday vs. Utah; 10 p.m. Saturday vs. Toronto
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
127–126 Tuesday loss vs. Washington — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
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 — 10 p.m. Thursday at Phoenix, TNT; 9 p.m. Saturday at Utah
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
Off Tuesday
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, 12 double-doubles
Next games — 7:30 Wednesday at Philadelphia, ESPN; 7:30 Thursday vs. Detroit
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 22 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
116–110 Tuesday loss at Indiana — 23 minutes, 8 points, 3–11 FG, 2–7 3FG, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 fouls, -8, 5.3 game score
Season statistics — 39 games, 8.4 points, 42.4 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Next games — 7:30 Thursday at Charlotte, Bally Sports SE; 7 p.m. Saturday at Orlando
In the G League
Garrison Brooks, Westchester Knicks center
Age 23 | 6–10, 240 | Rookie | UNC 2017–21 (4 seasons)
126–99 Tuesday win vs. Iowa — Started; 31 minutes, 21 points, 10–15 FG, 1–1 FT, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 fouls, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 2 blocks, +23
Season statistics — 24 games, 14.0 points, 52.8 PFG%, 0–18 3P, 52.8 FT%, 12.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.7 of a block, 18 double-doubles
Next games — 7 p.m. Friday vs. Grand Rapids; 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Grand Rapids
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 Feb. 1 against Portland.
Get an explanation of the game score metric here.
Photo via @Suns
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