By R.L. Bynum
Cameron Johnson is producing the consistent effort that most expected from his first season as an NBA starter. But, instead of doing it for a solid NBA title contender in the Phoenix Suns, it’s for a rebooted Brooklyn Nets team trying to find a rhythm.
Johnson, traded from the Suns to the Nets along with Mikal Bridges at the trade deadline, scored 23 points and three 3-pointers Tuesday night. But Brooklyn, which got 34 points from Bridges, blew a 10-point halftime lead and lost at Oklahoma City 121–107.
Three of Johnson’s top five scoring games this season have come for Brooklyn but all in defeats, with his season-high of 33 points on March 1 against New York (142–118 loss), 27 on Feb. 26 at Atlanta (129–127 defeat) and Tuesday’s effort against the Thunder.
Johnson added nine rebounds, his second-highest total this season, and three assists in the loss for Brooklyn (39–30), which has a 2½-game lead over Miami for eighth place in the Eastern Conference to avoid the play-in tournament.
Johnson’s 18.5 game score was his seventh of at least 18 this season and third since joining the Nets. He had nine such efforts in 66 games last season for Phoenix.
He had 14 points, two 3-pointers, four rebounds and two assists in Brooklyn’s 122–120 road win over Denver on Sunday night.
Day’Ron Sharpe didn’t play in either game (coach’s decision) and has played in only one of the last seven games.
In the G League, Justin Jackson had another big night with 24 points, seven 3-pointers, nine rebounds and five assists, but his Texas Legends lost a road game against Delaware 148–116. On Sunday, he had 11 points, three 3-pointers, six rebounds and three assists in the Legends’ 99–82 home loss to G League Ignite.
The Sacramento Kings (40–27) remain one of the top teams in the Western Conference, aided by the consistent efforts of Harrison Barnes. Barnes had 19 points and six rebounds in Saturday’s 128–119 win at Phoenix and 14 points and three 3-pointers in Monday’s 133–124 home loss to Milwaukee.
The Kings are third in the Western Conference, trailing Memphis by one game.
Orlando has split its last two games. Cole Anthony collected 16 points, six rebounds and three assists in Saturday’s 126–114 overtime home win over Miami, then contributing 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in Tuesday’s 132–114 loss at San Antonio.
Walker Kessler put up the 17th double-double of his rookie season Saturday in a 119–111 Utah win at Charlotte with 17 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks. On Monday, he had seven points and nine rebounds in the Jazz’s 119–115 loss at Miami.
Reggie Bullock has scored in single digits for three consecutive games, possibly still dealing with a quad injury that kept him out of a game last week. He had seven points and five rebounds in the Mavericks’ 112–108 Saturday loss at Memphis, then scored five points with five rebounds in Monday’s home defeat against the Grizzlies. Theo Pinson played four scoreless minutes in Monday’s game with two rebounds and an assist.
Nassir Little scored 10 points with six rebounds and four assists Saturday in Portland’s 127–110 loss at New Orleans for his only double-figure-scoring game in the last five. He was scoreless in 10 minutes of Tuesday’s 123–107 home loss to New York and has combined for 35 points in his last eight games.
It continues to go poorly in Cleveland for Danny Green. After not playing (coach’s decision) in four consecutive games, he was scoreless with two rebounds in four minutes in Tuesday’s 120–104 win at Charlotte. He’s played in only five of the Cavaliers’ 11 games since they signed him.
Coby White played 16 scoreless minutes, missing all three shots, with three assists in Chicago’s 119–111 win at Houston on Saturday.
Garrison Brooks missed the Westchester Knicks’ game on Saturday with a hamstring injury.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
126–114 OT Saturday win vs. Miami — 33 minutes, 16 points, 5–9 FG, 1–1 3FG, 5–5 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 5 fouls, +12, 11.7 game score
132–114 Tuesday loss at San Antonio — 29 minutes, 14 points, 5–13 FG, 2–5 3FG, 2–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 fouls, -5, 10.4 game score
Season statistics — 49 games, 12.3 points, 44.2 FG%, 35.0 3P%, 87.9 FT%, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists
Next games — 10 p.m. Thursday at Phoenix, NBATV; 3 p.m. Saturday at Los Angeles Clippers
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
128–119 Saturday win at Phoenix — Started; 37 minutes, 19 points, 6–10 FG, 1–4 3FG, 6–6 FT, 6 rebounds, 2 turnovers, +1, 15.0 game score
133–124 Monday loss vs. Milwaukee — Started; 30 minutes, 14 points, 4–9 FG, 3–8 3FG, 3–3 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1 foul, -17, 9.5 game score
Season statistics — 67 games, 15.1 points, 47.5 FG%, 36.9 3FG%, 84.5 FT%, 4.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Chicago; 7:30 Thursday at Brooklyn
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 31 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
112–108 Saturday loss at Memphis — Started; 32 minutes, 7 points, 3–9 FG, 1–6 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, -4, 4.5 game score
104–98 Monday loss vs. Memphis — Started; 33 minutes, 5 points, 2–4 FG, 1–3 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 foul, -8, 4.8 game score
Season statistics — 66 games, 7.0 points, 40.0 FG%, 37.4 3P%, 68.6 FT%, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Next games — 8:30 Wednesday at San Antonio; 10:30 Friday at Los Angles Lakers, NBATV
Danny Green, Cleveland Cavaliers guard
Age 35 | 6–6, 205 | 13th NBA season | UNC 2005–09 (4 seasons)
114–108 Sunday win at Charlotte — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
120–104 Tuesday win at Charlotte — 4 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, -5, 0.4 game score
Season statistics — 8 games, 84 minutes, 25 points, 8–21 FG, 8–17 3FG, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Next games — 7:30 Wednesday vs. Philadelphia, ESPN; 7:30 Friday vs. Washington
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210 | fourth NBA season | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
122–120 Sunday win at Denver — Started; 29 minutes, 14 points, 5–11 FG, 2–6 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, +13
121–107 Tuesday loss at Oklahoma City — Started; 30 minutes, 23 points, 7–13 FG, 3–7 3FG, 6–8 FT, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, -13, 18.5 game score
Season statistics — 30 games, 15.3 points, 45.9 FG%, 40.2 3P%, 80.0 FT%, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Next games — 7:30 Thursday vs. Sacramento; 3:30 Sunday vs. Denver
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
119–111 Saturday win at Charlotte — Started; 32 minutes, 17 points, 8–10 FG, 1–2 FT, 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, +17, 21.8 game score
119–115 Monday loss at Miami — Started; 30 minutes, 7 points, 3–4 FG, 1–1 FT, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 3 fouls, -11, 8.7 game score
Season statistics — 65 games, 8.6 points, 72.1 FG%, 54.2 FT%, 1–2 3FG, 8.6 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 2.3 blocks
Next games — 9 p.m. Saturday vs. Boston; 9 p.m. Monday vs. Sacramento
Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers forward
Age 23 | 6–5, 220 | third NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
127–110 Sunday loss at New Orleans — 26 minutes; 10 points, 4–8 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 fouls, -18, 10.2 game score
123–107 Tuesday loss vs. New York — 10 minutes, 0 points, 0–5 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1 rebound, -17, -2.8 game score
Season statistics — 48 games, 6.2 points, 45.9 FG%, 39.7 3P%, 67.6 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist
Next games — 10 p.m. Friday vs. Boston; 9 p.m. Sunday vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
112–108 Saturday loss at Memphis — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
104–98 Monday loss vs. Memphis — 4 minutes, 0 points, 0–1 FT, 0–1 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, +3, 0.6 game score
Season statistics — 36 games, 1.8 points, 32.8 FG%, 34.1 3P%, 81.8 FT, 1.1 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist
Next games — 8:30 Wednesday at San Antonio; 10:30 Friday at Los Angles Lakers, NBATV
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
122–120 Sunday win at Denver and 121–107 Tuesday loss at Oklahoma City— Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season NBA statistics — 36 games, 4.1 points, 51.6 FG%, 5–9 3FG, 60.7 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 — 7:30 Thursday vs. Sacramento; 3:30 Sunday vs. Denver
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 23 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
119–111 Saturday win at Houston — 16 minutes, 0 points, 0–3 FG, 0–2 3FG, 3 assists, 2 fouls, -2, -0.8 game score
Season statistics — 59 games, 8.7 points, 41.5 FG%, 35.2 3P%, 85.0 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Wednesday vs. Sacramento; 8 p.m. Friday vs. Minnesota
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)
114–108 Saturday loss at Santa Cruz — Didn’t play (hamstring injury)
Season statistics — 37 games, 13.6 points, 62.3 2P FGP%, 0–20 3P, 59.5 FT%, 11.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 of a block, 24 double-doubles
Next games — 7 p.m. Thursday vs. Fort Wayne; 3 p.m. Saturday at Motor City
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 220 | Sixth pro season | UNC 2014–27 (3 seasons)
99–82 Sunday loss vs. G League Ignite — Started; 38 minutes, 11 points, 4–16 FG, 3–14 3FG, 0–1 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, -20
148–116 Tuesday loss at Delaware — Started; 36 minutes, 24 points, 8–16 FG, 7–9 3FG, 1–2 FT, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, -28
Season G League statistics — 9 games, 18.3 points, 40.0 FG%, 36.3 3FG%, 66.7 FT%, 6.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.01 steal
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 — 11 a.m. Thursday at Delaware; 7 p.m. Friday at Capital 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
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