By R.L. Bynum
Cameron Johnson joined the new-look Brooklyn Nets, and was one of four newcomers who started in Saturday night’s home game against Philadelphia.
Johnson and Mikal Bridges, nicknamed “The Twins” by former Suns teammate Deandre Ayton because they spent so much time together, each started in the Nets’ 101–98 loss to the Sixers. Joining them in the lineup were Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney, who Brooklyn got in the Kyrie Irving deal with the Dallas Mavericks.
Johnson went 2 of 8 from 3-point range and finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, including swiping the ball away from James Harden at the end of the first quarter.
“There’s a lot of positives to it,” Johnson said. “It was fun getting out there with those guys, competing, guarding and sharing the ball. I think if we build on that, we’ll be all right.”
Johnson and Bridges left Phoenix, one of the best teams in the league, in a deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Suns. Last week was far from the first time Johnson and Bridges wondered if they might end up in Brooklyn. There were Durant-to-Phoenix rumors last summer.
“There was a lot of jokes, especially in the summer when KD wanted to come [to Phoenix] and we knew the pieces and who might be the ones that were going to go, and us two were the main two,” Bridges said in a press conference, sitting next to Johnson. “We joke around, we said, ‘At least we got us; at least we got us,’ and it happened. And still, to this day — at least I got my twin with me, and that’s how it goes.”
Johnson just smiled as Bridges was telling that story.
“We’ve had plenty of time to talk about it, really,” Johnson said. “Over the summer, we had an early-morning lift, [and] this is when the rumor was really strong. So, we were talking about New York and living in Brooklyn. That was in June, so we had a lot of time to wrap our mind around the possibility.”
After Johnson couldn’t wear No. 23 at UNC because it was retired for Michael Jordan and had to settle for No. 13, he wore No. 23 with the Suns. But since that Nets number is retired for John Williamson, Johnson is wearing No. 2 in Brooklyn.
After Bridges missed a layup attempt that would have given Brooklyn the lead, former Net Harden put the game away with two free throws on his way to 29 points.
Day’Ron Sharpe only played three minutes for the Nets, with four points and a rebound.
Danny Green finalized a buyout of his contract with the Houston Rockets to become a free agent. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Green has signed with Cleveland.
Memphis dealt Green to Houston as part of a three-team trade, with Eric Gordon going from the Rockets to the Los Angeles Clippers and former Duke guard Luke Kennard moving from the Clippers to the Grizzlies.
Harrison Barnes had 13 points and three rebounds as Sacramento earned a 133–128 overtime home win over Reggie Bullock, Theo Pinson and Dallas. With a 5.7 game score, Barnes has four single-digit game scores in the last five games and eight in the last 10 games.
After three consecutive starts, Bullock came off the bench with the return of Luka Dončić. In 40 minutes, Bullock had eight points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Theo Pinson collected three points and two assists in 10 minutes.
Cole Anthony had seven points, four rebounds, six assists and a block in Orlando’s 107–103 overtime home loss to Miami.
Walker Kessler contributed four points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in Utah’s 126–120 road loss to New York.
In Chicago’s 97–89 loss at Cleveland, Coby White was 1 of 9 from the floor and finished with four points, four rebounds and three assists. Tony Bradley didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the second consecutive game.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
107–103 OT Saturday loss vs. Miami — 20 minutes, 7 points, 3–9 FG, 1–3 3FG, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block, 1 foul, +8, 8.0 game score
Season statistics — 39 games, 12.0 points, 44.3 FG%, 33.1 3P%, 88.4 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Monday at Chicago; 7:30 Tuesday at Toronto
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
133–128 Saturday OT win vs. Dallas — Started; 37 minutes, 13 points, 5–16 FG, 1–5 3FG, 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 foul, -14, 5.7 game score
Season statistics — 56 games, 14.9 points, 47.1 FG%, 37.6 3FG%, 83.1 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Next games — 9 p.m. Tuesday at Phoenix; 10 p.m. Thursday vs. Portland
Tony Bradley, Chicago Bulls center
Age 25 | 6–10, 248 | sixth NBA season | UNC 2016–17 (1 season)
97–89 Saturday loss at Cleveland — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 11 games, 30 minutes, 14 points, 4–9 FG, 2–4 3FG, 5–5 FT, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Next games — 8 p.m. Monday vs. Orlando; 7 p.m. Wednesday at Indiana
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
133–128 Saturday OT loss at Sacramento — Didn’t start; 40 minutes, 8 points, 2–7 FG, 2–7 3FG, 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, -2, 8.1 game score
Season statistics — 56 games, 6.9 points, 39.8 FG%, 37.2 3P%, 68.6 FT%, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Next games — 8:30 Monday vs. Minnesota; 9 p.m. Wednesday at Denver
Danny Green, Cleveland Cavaliers guard
Age 35 | 6–6, 205 | 13th NBA season | UNC 2005–09 (4 seasons)
Season statistics — 3 games, 43 minutes, 9 points, 3–11 FG, 3–8 3FG, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Next games — 7 p.m. Monday vs. San Antonio; 7:30 Wednesday vs. Philadelphia, ESPN
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210| fourth NBA season | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
101–98 Saturday loss vs. Philadelphia — Started; 28 minutes, 12 points, 4–13 FG, 2–8 3FG, 2–3 FT, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 foul, +5, 10.9 same score
Season statistics — 18 games, 13.8 points, 46.2 FG%, 43.9 3P%, 80.6 FT%, 4.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Next games — 7:30 Monday at New York; 7:30 Wednesday vs. Miami, ESPN
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
126–120 Saturday loss at New York — Started; 35 minutes, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 15 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, plus/minus of 0, 8.7 game score
Season statistics — 55 games, 8.2 points, 71.5 FG%, 54.1 FT%, 7.6 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 2.0 blocks
Next games — 7 p.m. Monday at Indiana; 8 p.m. Wednesday at Memphis
Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers forward
Age 23 | 6–5, 220 | third NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Off Saturday
Season statistics — 35 games, 5.9 points, 47.4 FG%, 40.7 3P%, 63.3 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist
Next games — 10 p.m. Monday vs. Los Angeles Lakers; 10 p.m. Tuesday vs. Washington
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
133–128 Saturday OT loss at Sacramento — 10 minutes, 3 points, 1–4 FG, 1–4 3FG, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, -17, 1.3 game score
Season statistics — 30 games, 192 minutes, 58 points, 18–48 FG, 13–35 3FG, 9–11 FT, 35 rebounds, 23 assists, 3 steals
Next games — 8:30 Monday vs. Minnesota; 9 p.m. Wednesday at Denver
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
101–98 Saturday loss vs. Philadelphia — 3 minutes, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1 rebound, -3, 3.4 game score
Season NBA statistics — 31 games, 3.8 points, 52.1 FG%, 4–6 3FG, 65.2 FT%, 3.7 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist, 0.5 of a block
Season 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 at New York; 7:30 Wednesday vs. Miami, ESPN
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 22 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
97–89 Saturday loss at Cleveland — 20 minutes, 4 points, 1–9 FG, 0–4 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, -9, -2.0 game score
Season statistics — 48 games, 8.4 points, 40.6 FG%, 35.0 3P%, 2.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Monday vs. Orlando; 7 p.m. Wednesday at Indiana
Waived
On Thursday, Boston traded Justin Jackson to Oklahoma City, who waived him Friday. His season statistics: 23 games, 107 minutes, 20 points, 7–27 FG, 5–20 3FG, 17 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 blocks, 4 steals
In the G League
Garrison Brooks, Westchester Knicks center
Age 23 | 6–10, 240 | Rookie | UNC 2017–21 (4 seasons)
Off Saturday
Season statistics — 28 games, 13.1 points, 63.3 2PFGP%, 0–18 3P, 53.7 FT%, 11.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.6 of a block, 19 double-doubles
Next games — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Raptors 905; 7 p.m. Monday vs. Raptors 905
Get an explanation of the game score metric here. Michael Jordan produced the all-time-high game score of 64.6 on March 28, 1990, in the Chicago Bulls’ 117–113 overtime win at Cleveland. Jordan had 69 points on 23 of 37 shooting (2 of 6 from 3-point range), made 21 of 23 free-throw attempts and collected 18 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a block.
Photo via @BrooklynNets
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