By R.L. Bynum
Saturday was the most productive day in the NBA for UNC alums this season as five scored at least 13 points, led by Cole Anthony, who broke loose for 21 points one night after scoring 19.
The bad news for Anthony is that both were losses.
He scored three 3-pointers, with six rebounds and six assists, for an 18.7 game score in Saturday’s 128–109 home loss to Chicago. Anthony notched four 3-pointers with seven rebounds in Friday’s 110–105 defeat at Miami.
Anthony has scored at least 18 points in four of the last six games.
Against Chicago, in the battle of Carolina’s two previous starting point guards, Anthony and Coby White guarded each other quite a bit, with Anthony getting the better of White, particularly in the play in the below video.
White had his fifth scoreless game of the season. He missed all five shots with three rebounds and three assists in 19 minutes off the bench. Tony Bradley didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the fourth consecutive game for Chicago (23–26).
Anthony also had a crowd-pleasing windmill dunk against the Bulls.
Anthony helped lead an Orlando second-half rally from a 25-point deficit to cut Chicago’s lead to six with 5:08 remaining, but the Magic couldn’t get closer.
“I don’t know how, but we found some energy and we went on a run, got some easy buckets, hit some shots,” Anthony said.
In that game against the Heat, Anthony scored 17 points in the first half. It was the second time he’s had 17 points by halftime this season after the Oct. 21 game against Atlanta. That was his season debut in the Magic’s second game, when he finished with a season-high 25 points in a 108–98 defeat.
Orlando has lost three of its last six games and is 19–31, 13th in the Eastern Conference.
Reggie Bullock had his second-best game of the season with a 15.7 game score as he collected 19 points, five 3-pointers, five rebounds and two assists in Dallas’ 108–100 Saturday loss at Utah. Theo Pinson was scoreless in 30 seconds for the Mavericks, who played without Luka Dončić (sprained left ankle).
Bullock’s 3-pointer cut the Mavs’ deficit to 103–98, but Dallas went without a basket in the final 2½ minutes.
For the Jazz, Walker Kessler had his 10th double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. He got four of his five blocked shots in the first half and has five games with at least five blocks this season.
Utah started the 7–1 Kessler, 7–0 Lauri Markkanan and 6–11 Kelly Olynyk.
Cameron Johnson continues to be a steady performer as Phoenix has won five of six games since he returned from a knee injury.
He scored 15 points and three 3-pointers and had four rebounds and two assists in the Suns’ 128–118 win Saturday at San Antonio. Phoenix moved above .500 at 26–25 and up to ninth in the Western Conference.
Harrison Barnes scored in double figures for the 15th consecutive game with 13 points as he made 10 of 11 free-throw attempts in Sacramento’s 117–110 Saturday loss at Minnesota.
Nassir Little got his first start of the season and had eight points, two 3-pointers, three rebounds, two assists and a block in Portland’s 123–105 Saturday home loss to Toronto.
Little started in place of Josh Hart, who was out with a hamstring injury. Little got 23 of his 31 career starts last season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in January.
Day’Ron Sharpe contributed six points and three rebounds in 14 minutes as Brooklyn beat New York 122–115 at home on Saturday.
Justin Jackson didn’t play (coach’s decision) in Boston’s 125–121 overtime road win Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers and hasn’t gotten into the Celtics’ last two games.
In the G League on Friday, Garrison Brooks had eight points and 14 rebounds in the Westchester Knicks’ 108–99 home loss to Grand Rapids.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
110–105 Friday loss at Miami — 28 minutes, 19 points, 5–9 FG, 4–7 3FG, 5–6 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, +7, 13.7 game score
128–109 Saturday loss vs. Chicago — 30 minutes, 21 points, 9–15 FG, 3–5 3FG, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, -6, 18.7 game score
Season statistics — 32 games, 12.2 points, 43.9 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 89.1 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists
Next games — 7 p.m. Monday at Philadelphia; 7 p.m. Wednesday at Philadelphia
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
117–110 Saturday loss at Minnesota — Started; 36 minutes, 13 points, 1–7 FG, 1–4 3FG, 10–11 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist,1 steal, 2 turnovers,-3, 8.7 game score
Season statistics — 48 games, 15.4 points, 48.2 FG%, 38.5 3FG%, 82.7 FT%, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Monday at Minnesota; 8 p.m. Wednesday at San Antonio
Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
Age 25 | 6–10, 248 | sixth NBA season | UNC 2016–17 (1 season)
128–109 Saturday win at Orlando — 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 — 8 p.m. Tuesday vs. Los Angeles Clippers; 8 p.m. Thursday vs. Charlotte, Bally Sports SE
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
108–100 Saturday loss at Utah — 33 minutes, 19 points, 7–10 FG, 5–8 3FG, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, -3, 15.7 game score
Season statistics — 49 games, 6.4 points, 38.6 FG%, 35.9 3P%, 65.5 FT%, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Next games — 8:30 Monday vs. Detroit; 8:30 Thursday vs. New Orleans
Justin Jackson, Boston Celtics forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 220| sixth NBA season | UNC 2014–17 (3 seasons)
125–121 OT Saturday win vs. Los Angeles Lakers — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
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 Wednesday vs. Brooklyn, ESPN; 7:30 Friday vs. Phoenix, NBATV
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210| fourth NBA season | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
128–118 Saturday win at San Antonio — Started; 32 minutes, 15 points, 5–12 FG, 3–7 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, +5, 9.4 game score
Season statistics — 13 games, 14.8 points, 48.2 FG%, 46. 3P%, 81.5 FT%, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Next games — 9 p.m. Monday vs. Toronto; 10 p.m. Wednesday vs. Atlanta, ESPN
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
108–100 Saturday win vs. Dallas — Started; 25 minutes, 14 points, 6–7 FG, 2–4 FT, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 blocks, +9, 19.3 game score
Season statistics — 49 games, 7.7 points, 71.5 FG%, 53.7 FT%, 7.3 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 2.0 blocks
Next games — 9 p.m. Wednesday vs. Toronto; 9 p.m. Friday vs. Atlanta
Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers forward
Age 22 | 6–5, 220 | third NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
123–105 Saturday loss vs. Toronto — Started; 30 minutes, 8 points, 3–6 FG, 2–4 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, -25, 7.0 game score
Season statistics — 28 games, 6.3 points, 48.9 FG%, 43.9 3P%, 61.5 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Next games — 10 p.m. Monday vs. Atlanta, NBATV; 7 p.m. Wednesday at Memphis
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
108–100 Saturday loss at Utah — 30 seconds, 0 points, plus/minus of 0, 0.0 game score
Season statistics — 25 games, 132 minutes, 41 points, 12–34 FG, 9–24 3FG, 8–9 FT, 27 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals
Next games — 8:30 Monday vs. Detroit; 8:30 Thursday vs. New Orleans
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
122–115 Saturday win vs. New York — 14 minutes, 6 points, 3–6 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 foul, -2, 4.4 game score
Season NBA statistics — 24 games, 203 minutes, 84 points, 33–63 FG, 4–5 3FG, 14–21 FT, 70 rebounds, 16 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 Monday vs. Los Angeles Lakers, NBATV; 7:30 Wednesday at Boston, ESPN
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 22 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
128–109 Saturday win at Orlando — 19 minutes, 0 points, 0–5 FG, 0–3 3FG, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, -4, -1.5 game score
Season statistics — 41 games, 8.2 points, 41.0 FG%, 35.8 3P%, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Tuesday vs. Los Angeles Clippers; 8 p.m. Thursday vs. Charlotte, Bally Sports SE
In the G League
Garrison Brooks, Westchester Knicks center
Age 23 | 6–10, 240 | Rookie | UNC 2017–21 (4 seasons)
108–99 Friday loss vs. Grand Rapids — Started; 32 minutes, 8 points, 4–5 FG, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 fouls, 2 turnovers
Season statistics — 25 games, 13.8 points, 63.9 2PFGP%, 0–18 3P, 52.8 FT%, 12.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.6 of a block, 18 double-doubles
Next games — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Grand Rapids; 7 p.m. Monday at Lakeland
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 Wednesday against Portland.
Get an explanation of the game score metric here.
Photo via @OrlandoMagic
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