By R.L. Bynum
Without Sacramento’s leading scorer De’Aaron Fox, Kings coach Mike Brown made Harrison Barnes the focal point of their offense on Tuesday night, and the 11-year veteran took advantage of the opportunity.
Barnes came through with 29 points, four 3-pointers, nine rebounds, three assists and a 24.2 game score as Sacramento won at Oklahoma City 123–117 for the Kings’ fourth consecutive victory coming out of the All-Star break.
Fox was out with left wrist soreness. With Lu Dort, the Thunder’s best defender, guarding Sacramento’s Kevin Huerter, Brown decided to run the offense through Barnes and said that made the offense productive.
“It allows us to attack different matchups, it frees other guys, it takes the pressure off of other guys,” Brown said. “And he’s a willing passer too. So guys have got to be ready to catch and shoot when that ball comes out because he’s going to find the mismatch throughout the course of the game.”
It was Barnes’ second-best game of the season behind his 30-point home game on Jan. 9 against Orlando when he put up a season-high 24.5 game score. The nine rebounds tied his season-high, which he has collected in three other games.
The Kings (36–25) are third in the Western Conference.
Cameron Johnson has scored at least 18 points in three of his last four games after he had 19 points, two 3-pointers, seven assists and four steals in Brooklyn’s 118–104 home loss Tuesday to Milwaukee. He has scored in double figures for a season-high eight consecutive games.
Day’Ron Sharpe had two points, three rebounds and a block in seven minutes for the Nets.
Reggie Bullock is 10 of 24 from 3-point range in the last three games after he scored 14 points and four 3-pointers with three rebounds and two assists in Dallas’ 124–122 home loss Tuesday to Indiana.
Theo Pinson didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the second consecutive game after playing in the previous eight, with double-digit minutes in six of them.
Walker Kessler had 10 points, 15 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in Utah’s 102–84 Tuesday loss to San Antonio.
In Portland’s 123–105 Tuesday road defeat against Golden State, Nassir Little had seven points in 15 minutes.
Coby White had seven points and five assists in 23 minutes as Chicago lost 104–98 at Toronto.
On Monday, Cole Anthony had two points, three rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes of Orlando’s 101–93 victory at New Orleans.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
101–93 Monday win at New Orleans — 27 minutes, 2 points, 1–6 FG, 0–3 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, +3, -2.1 game score
Season statistics — 42 games, 11.8 points, 43.5 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 89.0 FT%, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Milwaukee; 7 p.m. Friday at Charlotte
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
123–117 Tuesday win at Oklahoma City — Started; 37 minutes, 29 points (second-most this season), 8–13 FG, 4–5 3FG 9–10 FT, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block 2 turnovers, +14, 26.6 game score (second-best this season)
Season statistics — 61 games, 15.0 points, 47.2 FG%, 37.8 3FG%, 83.8 FT%, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Next games — 10 p.m. Friday vs. Los Angeles Clippers; 10 p.m. Saturday vs. Minnesota
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
124–122 Tuesday loss vs. Indiana — Started; 34 minutes, 14 points, 5–9 FG, 4–8 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, +4, 10.4 game score
Season statistics — 61 games, 7.0 points, 40.1 FG%, 37.8 3P%, 68.6 FT%, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Next games — 7:30 Thursday vs. Philadelphia, TNT; 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Phoenix, ABC
Danny Green, Cleveland Cavaliers guard
Age 35 | 6–6, 205 | 13th NBA season | UNC 2005–09 (4 seasons)
Off Monday and Tuesday
Season statistics — 6 games, 71 minutes, 19 points, 6–19 FG, 6–15 3FG, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Next games — 7:30 Wednesday at Boston, ESPN; 7:30 Saturday vs. Detroit
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210 | fourth NBA season | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
118–104 Tuesday loss vs. Milwaukee — Started; 29 minutes, 19 points, 6–12 FG, 2–5 3FG, 5–6 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 4 turnovers, 2 fouls, +1, 14.6 game score
Season statistics — 23 games, 14.6 points, 46.8 FG%, 41.0 3P%, 82.2 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Next games — 7:30 Wednesday at New York; 7:30 Friday at Boston, ESPN
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
102–94 Tuesday loss vs. San Antonio — Started; 33 minutes, 10 points, 4–7 FG, 2–4 FT, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 5 fouls, +5, 13.6 game score
Season statistics — 60 games, 8.2 points, 70.9 FG%, 53.3 FT%, 1–1 3FG, 8.0 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 2.2 blocks
Next games — 8 p.m. Friday at Oklahoma City; 7 p.m. Sunday at Oklahoma City
Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers forward
Age 23 | 6–5, 220 | third NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
123–105 Tuesday loss at Golden State — 15 minutes, 7 points, 3–8 FG, 1–4 3FG, 1 rebound, 1 block, -8, 3.6 game score
Season statistics — 40 games, 6.6 points, 47.5 FG%, 42.0 3P%, 65.7 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist
Next games — 10 p.m. Wednesday vs. New Orleans, ESPN; 7:30 Friday at Atlanta
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
124–122 Tuesday loss vs. Indiana — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 33 games, 1.9 points, 33.9 FG%, 35.7 3P%, 81.8 FT, 1.2 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Next games — 7:30 Thursday vs. Philadelphia, TNT; 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Phoenix, ABC
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
118–104 Tuesday loss vs. Milwaukee — 7 minutes, 2 points, 1–2 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, -6, 0.8 game score
Season NBA statistics — 34 games, 3.9 points, 54.4 FG%, 4–6 3FG, 59.3 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist, 0.6 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 Wednesday at New York; 7:30 Friday at Boston, ESPN
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 23 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
104–98 Tuesday loss at Toronto — 23 minutes, 7 points, 2–7 FG, 1–3 3FG, 2–2 FT, 5 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, -6, 5.0 game score
Season statistics — 54 games, 8.9 points, 42.0 FG%, 35.5 3P%, 2.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Next games — 7 p.m. Wednesday at Detroit; 8 p.m. Friday vs. Phoenix
Bradley free agent
— On Feb. 21, Chicago waived Tony Bradley. His season statistics: 12 games, 33 minutes, 19 points, 6–12 FG, 3–5 3FG, 4–4 FT, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
In the G League
Garrison Brooks, Westchester Knicks center
Age 23 | 6–10, 240 | Rookie | UNC 2017–21 (4 seasons)
Off Monday and Tuesday
Season statistics — 33 games, 13.4 points, 63.3 2PFGP%, 0–18 3P, 59.7 FT%, 11.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 of a block, 22 double-doubles
Next games — 11 a.m. Wednesday vs. Delaware; 7 p.m. Friday vs. Delaware
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 220 | Sixth pro season | UNC 2014–27 (3 seasons)
Off Monday and Tuesday
Season G League statistics — 2 games, 13.0 points, 54.5 2PFG%, 20.0 3FG%, 25.0 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assits, 2.5 steals
Season NBA statistics (with Boston) — 23 games, 107 minutes, 20 points, 7–27 FG, 5–20 3FG, 17 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 blocks, 4 steals
Next games — 10 p.m. Thursday at Stockton; 8 p.m. Saturday at Stockton
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 @SacramentoKings
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