By R.L. Bynum
Cameron Johnson and Harrison Barnes each scored 20 points, and Cole Anthony hit 16 as all three earned victories Friday night after Reggie Bullock scored 15 in a Thursday win.
Johnson scored 17 points in the second half as Brooklyn rallied from a 28-point deficit for a surprising 115–105 road win over Boston on his 27th birthday.
Johnson overcame getting whistled for three fouls in less than three minutes of the first quarter and didn’t foul out until the last minute of the game. He had two 3-pointers, five rebounds, three assists and a steal in Brooklyn’s first win in four meetings this season with the Celtics.
It was a big win for the Nets, who are still trying to find the right chemistry after multiple changes around the trade deadline.
“Yeah, it’s a process,” Johnson said. “It’s a fluid process. It’s something that we build upon every day. But, I think there’s a point in that first quarter, early second quarter, where we looked at each other and just like, ‘we’re not going out this way.’ And, it kind of brought us together. The only way to get through things is to do it together and to go through it together. And, I think that resilience we showed today was big.”
Mikal Bridges, who came over with Johnson from the Phoenix Suns, led the Nets with 38 points.
Brooklyn (35–28), sixth in the Eastern Conference, matched its largest comeback in franchise history, previously pulled off at New York on March 16, 2022, and at Sacramento on March 19, 2019.
It was Johnson’s seventh game with at least 20 points this season and third in the last four games.
Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the third time in the last six games.
Barnes helped the Kings win their fifth consecutive game with a narrow 128–127 home victory. He was 6 of 11 from the floor, made all eight free-throw attempts and pulled down seven rebounds as Sacramento (37–25) pulled within a game of second-place Memphis in the Western Conference.
Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox scored 33 points on 12 of 22 shooting to become the first guard to score at least 30 points and shoot at least 50% in seven consecutive games since Michael Jordan did it in eight straight games in January 1996.
Anthony followed up a 28-point night in a loss at Milwaukee two nights earlier with another solid effort in Orlando’s 117–106 Friday win at Charlotte, going 6 of 10 from the floor with three rebounds, four assists and a steal. He had 11 points, four assists and two rebounds in the first half.
On Thursday, Reggie Bullock scored 15 points and five 3-pointers in a 133–126 Dallas home win over Philadelphia. Theo Pinson didn’t play (coach’s decision) for the third consecutive game after playing in the previous eight, with double-digit minutes in six.
Walker Kessler produced his 14th double-double of the season with 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in Utah’s 130–103 win Friday at Oklahoma City.
Coby White had five points and three assists in Chicago’s 125–104 Friday home loss to Phoenix.
In Portland’s 129–111 Friday loss at Atlanta, Nassir Little had two points and two rebounds in 15 minutes.
In the G League, Garrison Brooks collected 18 points and eight rebounds but his Westchester Knicks lost at home Friday against Delaware 122–117.
On Thursday, Justin Jackson scored 23 points and four 3-pointers with eight rebounds in his Texas Legends’ 127–100 road loss to Stockton.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
117–106 Friday win at Charlotte — 29 minutes, 16 points, 6–10 FG, 1–2 3FG, 3–3 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, -6, 13.3 game score
Season statistics — 44 games, 12.2 points, 44.7 FG%, 34.0 3P%, 88.3 FT%, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists
Next games — 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Portland; 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. Milwaukee
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
128–127 Friday win vs. Los Angeles Clippers — 37 minutes, 20 points, 6–11 FG, 0–3 3FG, 8–8 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, -6, 15.0 game score
Season statistics — 62 games, 15.0 points, 47.3 FG%, 37.4 3FG%, 85.2 FT%, 4.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Next games — 10 p.m. Saturday vs. Minnesota; 10 p.m. Monday vs. New Orleans, NBATV
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
133–126 Thursday win vs. Philadelphia — 39 minutes, 15 points, 5–12 FG, 5–10 3FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 fouls, +17, 9.4 game score
Season statistics — 62 games, 7.1 points, 40.2 FG%, 38.2 3P%, 68.6 FT%, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Next games — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Phoenix, ABC; 8:30 Tuesday vs. Utah
Danny Green, Cleveland Cavaliers guard
Age 35 | 6–6, 205 | 13th NBA season | UNC 2005–09 (4 seasons)
Off Thursday, Friday
Season statistics — 6 games, 71 minutes, 19 points, 6–19 FG, 6–15 3FG, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Next games — 7:30 Saturday vs. Detroit; 7 p.m. Monday vs. Boston
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210 | fourth NBA season | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
115–105 Friday win at Boston — Started, 31 minutes, 20 points, 5–16 FG, 2–9 3FG, 8–10 FT, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 6 fouls, +7, 10.6 game score
Season statistics — 25 games, 15.6 points, 47.5 FG%, 41.5 3P%, 81.0 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Next games — 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Charlotte; 8 p.m. Tuesday at Houston
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
130–103 Friday loss at Oklahoma City — Started, 25 minutes, 10 points, 5–5 FG, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, -13, 14.0 game score
Season statistics — 61 games, 8.3 points, 71.3 FG%, 53.3 FT%, 1–1 3FG, 8.1 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 2.2 blocks
Next games — 7 p.m. Sunday at Oklahoma City; 8:30 Tuesday at Dallas
Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers forward
Age 23 | 6–5, 220 | third NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
129–111 Friday loss at Atlanta — 15 minutes, 2 points, 1–2 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, -16, 1.2 game score
Season statistics — 42 games, 6.3 points, 46.7 FG%, 40.5 3P%, 65.7 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Next games — 6 p.m. Sunday at Orlando; 7 p.m. Monday at Detroit
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
133–126 Thursday win vs. Philadelphia — 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 — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Phoenix, ABC; 8:30 Tuesday vs. Utah
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
115–105 Friday win at Boston — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season NBA statistics — 35 games, 3.9 points, 53.2 FG%, 5–8 3FG, 59.3 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 0.8 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 — 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Charlotte; 8 p.m. Tuesday at Houston
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 23 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
125–104 Friday loss vs. Phoenix — 21 minutes, 5 points, 1–3 FG, 1–2 FT, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 turnover, -5, 4.7 game score
Season statistics — 56 games, 8.9 points, 42.0 FG%, 35.9 3P%, 85.0 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Next games — 3:30 Sunday vs. Indiana; 9 p.m. Wednesday at Denver
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)
122–117 Friday loss vs. Delaware — Started; 18 points, 8–12 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1–2 FT, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 fouls, 2 steals, 4 turnovers, -3
Season statistics — 35 games, 13.2 points, 63.3 2PFGP%, 0–19 3P, 59.2 FT%, 11.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.6 of a block, 22 double-doubles
Next games — 6 p.m. Sunday at Windy City; 10 p.m. Tuesday at Stockton
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 220 | Sixth pro season | UNC 2014–27 (3 seasons)
127–100 Thursday loss at Stockton — Started; 34 minutes, 23 points, 6–15 FG, 4–9 3FG, 3–4 FT, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 block, -25
Season G League statistics — 3 games, 16.3 points, 47.1 2PFG%, 27.6 3FG%, 50.0 FT%, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.3 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 — 8 p.m. Saturday at Stockton; 8 p.m. Monday vs. Salt Lake City
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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