By R.L. Bynum
Coby White and Cameron Johnson had big weekend games as their teams make different sorts of playoff pushes heading into the season’s final week, while things continued to go poorly for Reggie Bullock, Theo Pinson and the Dallas Mavericks.
While Johnson’s Brooklyn Nets are trying to avoid the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, White’s Chicago Bulls hope to slide into it. White had 11 points, five rebounds and seven assists in Friday’s 121–91 win at Charlotte, then collected 19 points, six rebounds and four assists in Sunday’s 128–107 victory over Memphis.
The Bulls (38–40) are 10th in the Eastern Conference and have a four-game lead over Washington and Orlando for the final play-in tournament spot but are only a game behind Atlanta and Toronto. If positioning doesn’t change, Chicago would face the Raptors in the first Eastern Conference play-in game.
White didn’t have a turnover in 31 minutes against the Grizzlies as the Bulls tied a franchise low with three turnovers. Memphis led by 23 in the first half, but Chicago outscored the Grizzlies 40–16 in the third quarter, scoring the final 17 points.
“That’s how you get easy baskets,” White said. “You reach out and get deflections, get steals, get out in transition. And tonight, it helped us a lot.”
White’s late three-point play helped give Chicago a nine-point lead.
Johnson scored 16 points in Brooklyn’s 124–107 Friday win at Atlanta and 17 in Sunday’s 111–110 home win over Utah, with six rebounds in both, as the Nets cut their magic number to two to clinch a playoff spot.
Brooklyn’s third consecutive victory and fourth in the last five gave the Nets a two-game lead over Miami for the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference to avoid the play-in tournament. If positioning doesn’t change between now and Sunday’s end of the regular season, the Nets will face the Boston Celtics in a first-round series.
Day’Ron Sharpe was scoreless with two rebounds in Friday’s game and had six points and seven rebounds on Sunday for the Nets.
For Utah, Walker Kessler left the game in the third quarter with a concussion after collecting six points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes. He had 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in the Jazz’s 122–114 Friday loss at Boston.
Dallas (37–42), which has lost three consecutive games and seven of its last eight, is in danger of missing the Western Conference play-in tournament. The Mavericks are one game back of Oklahoma City for the final play-in tournament spot.
Bullock had two points and three assists in Saturday’s 129–122 loss at Miami, then contributed eight points and five rebounds in Sunday’s 132–130 overtime loss at Atlanta.
Theo Pinson didn’t play (coach’s decision) in either game but picked up a technical foul against Miami. After a review, the league rescinded that technical foul on Sunday.
Cole Anthony had two solid weekend games in Orlando wins, scoring 16 with seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks in Friday’s 116–109 win at Washington, then collecting 17 points, six rebounds and three assists in Sunday’s 128–102 home win over Detroit.
The Magic won’t make the playoffs for the ninth time in 11 seasons, but the team has played well of late with five wins in the last six games.
“We have a lot of weapons on this team,” Anthony said after Sunday’s win. “When we get out there and just play selflessly, it’s fun.”
Anthony and Jalen Suggs, who scored 18 points, each scored five points during a 23–4 Orlando run in the second quarter to open up a 24-point lead.
Harrison Barnes’ Sacramento Kings, who have already secured a playoff spot, split two weekend games. Barnes had 11 points in Friday’s 138–114 win at Portland and 15 in Sunday’s 142–134 home loss against San Antonio.
Nassir Little had seven points in 12 minutes of that Blazers loss to the Kings. In that game, he sprained his left ankle and didn’t play in Sunday’s 107–105 Portland win at Minnesota.
Danny Green didn’t play (coach’s decision) in a pair of home Cleveland wins — 130–116 over New York on Friday and 115–105 Sunday over Indiana — and has played in only two of the Cavaliers’ last 13 games (missing two of those with an illness).
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 22 | 6–3, 185 | third NBA season | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
116–109 Friday win at Washington — 28 minutes, 16 points, 7–11 FG, 2–3 3FG, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, +16, 15.6 game score
128–102 Sunday win vs. Detroit — 28 minutes, 17 points, 6–11 FG, 2–5 3FG, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, +6, 13.4 game score
Season statistics — 58 games, 13.0 points, 45.4 FG%, 36.2 3P%, 89.0 FT%, 4.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists
Next games — 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. Cleveland; 7 p.m. Thursday vs. Cleveland
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 30 | 6–8, 225 | 11th NBA season | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
138–114 Friday win at Portland — Started; 30 minutes, 11 points, 2–6 FG, 1–4 3FG, 6–6 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, +22, 9.3 game score
142–134 Sunday loss vs. San Antonio — Started; 37 minutes, 15 points, 5–12 FG, 1–3 3FG, 4–6 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, -4, 9.1 game score
Season statistics — 78 games, 15.0 points, 46.8 FG%, 37.0 3FG%, 84.5 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Tuesday at New Orleans; 8:30 Wednesday at Dallas
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks small forward
Age 32 | 6–6, 205 | 10th NBA season | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
129–122 Saturday loss at Miami — Started; 23 minutes, 2 points, 1–5 FG, 0–4 3FG, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 foul, -11, 1.2 game score
132–130 Sunday OT loss at Atlanta — Started; 20 minutes, 8 points, 3–6 FG, 2–5 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, -5, 6.5 game score
Season statistics — 76 games, 7.3 points, 40.9 FG%, 37.9 3P%, 70.3 FT%, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Next games — 8:30 Wednesday vs. Sacramento; 8:30 Friday vs. Chicago
Danny Green, Cleveland Cavaliers guard
Age 35 | 6–6, 205 | 13th NBA season | UNC 2005–09 (4 seasons)
130–116 Friday win vs. New York and 115–105 Sunday win vs. Indiana — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 9 games, 88 minutes, 27 points, 9–23 FG, 8–18 3FG, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Next games — 7 p.m. Tuesday at Orlando; 7 p.m. Thursday at Orlando
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210 | fourth NBA season | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
124–107 Friday win at Atlanta — Started; 35 minutes, 16 points, 7–13 FG, 1–5 3FG, 1–1 FT, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 3 fouls, +20, 14.8 game score
111–110 Sunday win vs. Utah — Started; 32 minutes, 18 points, 5–9 FG, 1–2 3FG, 7–8 FT, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, -1, 13.7 game score
Season statistics — 39 games, 15.5 points, 46.4 FG%, 39.9 3P%, 83.5 FT%, 4.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Next games — 7:30 Tuesday vs. Minnesota; 7 p.m. Wednesday at Detroit
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 21 | 7–0, 245 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
122–114 Friday loss at Boston — Started; 34 minutes, 20 points, 10–13 FG, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, -3, 21.0 game score
111–110 Sunday loss at Brooklyn — Started; 22 minutes, 6 points, 3–5 FG, 0–1 3FG, 0–2 FT, 8 rebounds, 1 foul, -4, 6.5 game score
Season statistics — 74 games, 9.2 points, 72.0 FG%, 1–4 3FG, 51.6 FT%, 8.4 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist, 2.2 blocks
Next games — 9 p.m. Tuesday vs. Los Angeles Lakers; 9 p.m. Thursday vs. Oklahoma City
Nassir Little, Portland Trail Blazers forward
Age 23 | 6–5, 220 | third NBA season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
138–114 Friday loss vs. Sacramento — 12 minutes, 7 points, 2–4 FG, 2–2 3FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 steal, -2, 5.9 game score
107–105 Sunday win at Minnesota — Didn’t play (left ankle sprain)
Season statistics — 54 games, 6.6 points, 44.2 FG%, 36.7 3P%, 71.7 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
Next games — 8 p.m. Tuesday at Memphis; 8 p.m. Thursday at San Antonio
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
Age 27 | 6–5, 212 | fifth NBA season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
129–122 Saturday loss at Miami and 132–130 Sunday OT loss at Atlanta— Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 38 games, 1.7 points, 32.8 FG%, 34.1 3P%, 81.8 FT, 1.1 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist
Next games — 8:30 Wednesday vs. Sacramento; 8:30 Friday vs. Chicago
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | second NBA season | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
124–107 Friday win at Atlanta — 9 minutes, 0 points, 0–2 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 foul, -17, -0.2 game score
111–110 Sunday win vs. Utah — 15 minutes, 6 points, 2–3 FG, 2–2 FT, 7 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, plus/minus of 0, 5.6 game score
Season NBA statistics — 44 games, 4.7 points, 54.1 FG%, 6–11 3FG, 65.2 FT%, 4.1 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 0.7 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 Tuesday vs. Minnesota; 7 p.m. Wednesday at Detroit
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 23 | 6–4, 195 | fourth NBA season| UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
121–91 Friday win at Charlotte — 26 minutes, 11 points, 4–7 FG, 3–5 3FG, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, +13, 13.1 game score
128–107 Sunday win vs. Memphis — 31 minutes, 19 points, 8–13 FG, 2–5 3FG, 1–1 FT, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 foul, +18, 18.3 game score
Season statistics — 70 games, 9.5 points, 43.8 FG%, 37.5 3P%, 86.6 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Next games — 8 p.m. Tuesday vs. Atlanta; 7:30 Wednesday at Milwaukee, ESPN
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)
Westchester’s G League season over
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
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends forward
Age 28 | 6–8, 220 | Sixth pro season | UNC 2014–27 (3 seasons)
Texas’ G League season over
Season G League statistics — 14 games, 21.1 points, 44.2 FG%, 42.2 3FG%, 62.1 FT%, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists
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
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 @chicagobulls
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