By R.L. Bynum
There were mixed results for Carolina alums during week two of the NBA season as teams began pool play in the inaugural In-Season Tournament.
Orlando’s Cole Anthony and Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes have been hot shooting from the perimeter while Chicago’s Coby White continues to struggle with his shot. Meanwhile, Leaky Black still hasn’t made his NBA debut for Charlotte, Brooklyn’s Cameron Johnson is still out with an injury, and the first seasons with new teams haven’t gone well for Phoenix’s Nassir Little or Houston’s Reggie Bullock.
Anthony is averaging 15.3 points per game, shooting 46.9% from the floor and 43.5% from 3-point range for the Magic, which has won two in a row and is off to a 4–2 start.
Anthony followed up an 18-point, seven-rebound, seven-assist Thursday effort with a 17.8 game score in a 115–113 win at Utah, with 14 points and five rebounds in Saturday’s 120–101 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers for a 9.3 game score.
After missing both 3-point attempts in Tuesday’s 118–102 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers while scoring 10 points, Anthony combined to go 6 of 13 from 3-point range in the last two games and is shooting 43.5% from beyond the arc on the season.
Anthony, whose best career perimeter shooting was 36.4% last season, stretched Orlando’s lead Saturday over the Lakers to 99–74 with a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter. Another 3 pushed the lead to 113–97 in the fourth quarter.
While Barnes has been solid, the Kings are 2–3 with two consecutive losses. Barnes had 14 points and four 3-pointers in Wednesday’s 102–101 loss at Golden State. He contributed 13 points and three 3-pointers Saturday in a 107–89 defeat at Houston.
Barnes’ career-best 3-point-shooting season was 40.8% in 2018–19, but he is 10th in the league at 54.2% this season, with at least three 3-pointers in three of five games. His corner 3-pointer with five minutes left in the third quarter against Houston capped a 10–0 run to give Sacramento a 65–64 lead.
White’s return as a starter hasn’t gone smoothly lately, as Chicago has lost three games in a row and is 14th in the 15-team Eastern Conference at 2–5.
White scored in double figures in all three games last week (10 in Wednesday’s 114–105 loss at Dallas, 18 in Friday’s 109–107 home setback against Brooklyn and 11 in Saturday’s 123–101 defeat at Denver) but he combined to go 15 of 39 from the floor and 4 of 18 from 3-point range in those games, with 11 combined assists. He’s a career 36.4% 3-point shooter, with a high of 38.5% in the 2021–22 season, but is only making 23.7% of his 3-point attempts this season.
Johnson played in Brooklyn’s opener but has missed the five games since then with a left calf contusion and may be out for a few more games.
Day’Ron Sharpe has been a consistent rebounder off the bench for the Nets, averaging 19.5 rebounds per 36 minutes while only averaging 11.7 minutes through six games.
He had five points and seven rebounds in Wednesday’s 109–105 win at Miami, six points and 10 rebounds in Friday’s 109–107 victory at Chicago and collected 11 points and seven rebounds in Saturday’s 124–114 home loss to Boston.
Little’s first season in Phoenix hasn’t gone well so far. He’s played fewer than four minutes twice this season and didn’t play (coach’s decision) in Thursday’s 132–121 home loss to San Antonio or Sunday’s 120–116 win at Detroit. He had two points and a rebound in four minutes of Saturday’s 112–100 loss at Philadelphia.
After playing fewer than 12 minutes in each of the first three Rockets games, Bullock didn’t play in either of Houston’s games last week (coach’s decision).
Walker Kessler continues to be a blocking machine in his second NBA season. He had two blocks in Utah’s 133–109 home win over Memphis, five in Thursday’s 115–113 loss to Orlando and three in Saturday’s 123–95 defeat at Minnesota. He’s 11th in the league at 1.9 per game for the 2–5 Jazz.
Leaky Black still hasn’t played for the 2–4 Hornets but could play some for the G League’s Greensboro Swarm, which opens its season Saturday at Long Island.
The G League season starts on Friday with Pete Nance and the Cleveland Charge at home against Wisconsin. The Texas Legends, featuring teammates on the 2017 national championship team in Tony Bradley, Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson, open at home Friday night against Oklahoma City.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 23 | 6–3, 185 | fourth NBA season | $5,539,771 salary | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
Roster situation — Backup point guard behind Markelle Fultz
118–102 Tuesday loss at Los Angeles Clippers — 18 minutes, 10 points, 3–6 FG, 0–2 3FG, 4–6 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, -18, 5.3 game score
115–113 Thursday win at Utah — 31 minutes, 18 points, 5–10 FG, 2–4 3FG, 6–6 FT, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, -7, 17.8 game score
120–101 Saturday win vs. Los Angeles Lakers — 23 minutes, 14 points, 4–9 FG, 3–5 3FG, 3–3 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, -6, 9.3 game score
Season statistics — 6 games, 15.3 points, 46.9 FG%, 43.5 3P%, 78.6 FT%, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday vs. Dallas
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 31 | 6–8, 225 | 12th NBA season | $17,000,000 salary | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting small forward ahead of Chris Duarte
102–101 Wednesday loss at Golden State — Started; 31 minutes, 14 points, 4–8 FG, 4–7 3FG, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, +2, 11.4 game score
107–89 Saturday loss at Houston — Started; 32 minutes, 13 points, 3–7 FG, 3–4 3FG, 4–5 FT, 3 rebounds, -19, 9.8 game score
Season statistics — 5 games, 15.6 points, 55.6 FG%, 54.2 3P%, 78.9 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists steal
Next game — 8 p.m. Monday at Houston
Leaky Black, Charlotte Hornets guard
Age 24 | 6–9, 209 | rookie NBA season | UNC 2018–23 (5 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve role; likely to play many games for G League’s Greensboro Swarm
Charlotte was off Tuesday.
128–119 Wednesday loss at Houston, 125–124 Saturday win at Indiana and 124–118 Sunday loss at Dallas— Didn’t play (coach’s decision); hasn’t made NBA debut
Next game — 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Washington, Bally Sports SE
Swarm opener — 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, at Long Island
Reggie Bullock, Houston Rockets guard
Age 32 | 6–6, 205 | 11th NBA season | $10,489,600 salary | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup at small forward behind Dillon Brooks
128–119 Wednesday win vs. Charlotte and 107–89 Saturday win vs. Sacramento — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 3 games, 34 minutes, 3 points, 1–6 FG, 1–6 3FG, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday at Orlando
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210 | fifth NBA season | $25,679,348 salary | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting small forward ahead of Royce O’Neale
109–105 Wednesday win at Miami, 109–107 Friday win at Chicago and 124–114 Saturday loss vs. Boston — Missed both games, has missed the last five games with a left calf contusion
Season statistics — 1 game, 12 points, 50.0 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 50.0 FT%, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Next game — 7:30 Monday vs. Milwaukee
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 22 | 7–0, 245 | second NBA season | $2,831,160 salary | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center ahead of Kelly Olynyk
133–109 Wednesday win vs. Memphis — 18 minutes, 4 points, 1–4 FG, 2–3 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 fouls, -13, 3.0 game score
115–113 Thursday loss vs. Orlando — Started; 25 minutes, 4 points, 2–6 FG, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 blocks, 1 turnovers, 2 fouls, -10
123–95 Saturday loss at Minnesota — Started; 23 minutes, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks, -14, 6.4 game score
Season statistics — 7 games, 7.3 points, 59.0 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 57.1 FT%, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks
Next game — 8 p.m. Monday at Chicago
Nassir Little, Phoenix Sun wing
Age 23 | 6–4, 220 | fifth NBA season | $6,250,060 salary | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Roster situation — Will compete for time off the bench behind Josh Okogie at small forward (with Keita Bates-Diop, Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon) and behind Kevin Durant at power forward (with Yuta Watanabe and Baits-Diop).
132–121 Thursday loss vs. San Antonio — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
112–100 Saturday loss at Philadelphia — 4 minutes, 2 points, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, +2, 2.7 game score
120–106 Sunday win at Detroit — Didn’t play (coach’s decision)
Season statistics — 5 games, 3.8 points, 42.9 FG%, 30.0 3P%, 4–4 FT, 1.4 rebounds, 1.0 steal
Next game — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Chicago
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | third NBA season | $2,210,040 salary | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
Roster situation — Backup center behind Nic Claxton
109–105 Wednesday win at Miami — 13 minutes, 5 points, 2–3 FG, 1–2 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, +15, 7.5 game score
109–107 Friday win at Chicago — 15 minutes, 6 points, 3–3 FG, 0–1 FT, 10 rebounds, 1 foul, -6, 7.7 game score
124–114 Saturday loss vs. Boston — 17 minutes, 11 points, 3–4 FG, 5–8 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, +6, 9.0 game score
Season statistics — 6 games, 6.5 points, 69.6 FG%, 50.0 FT%, 6.3 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist, 0.5 of a block
Next game — 7:30 Monday vs. Milwaukee
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 23 | 6–5, 195 | fifth NBA season | $11,111,111 salary | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter ahead of Jevon Carter
114–105 Wednesday loss at Dallas — Started; 33 minutes, 10 points, 4–12 FG, 1–6 3FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, -6, 1.7 game score
109–107 Friday loss vs. Brooklyn — Started; 35 minutes, 18 points, 7–17 FG, 2–8 3FG, 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, +3, 10.3 game score
123–101 Saturday loss at Denver — Started; 31 minutes, 11 points, 4–10 FG, 1–4 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, -11, 9.6 game score
Season statistics — 7 games, 11.1 points, 34.6 FG%, 23.7 3P%, 88.2 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists
Next game — 8 p.m. Monday vs. Utah
In G League
Tony Bradley, Texas Legends center
Age 25 | 6–11, 248 | seventh pro season | UNC 2016–17 (1 season)
2022–23 season NBA statistics (Bulls) — 12 games, 33 minutes, 19 points, 6–12 FG, 3–5 3FG, 4–4 FT, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Season opener — 8:30 Friday vs. Oklahoma City
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends guard
Age 28 | 6–8, 220 | seventh pro season | UNC 2014–17 (3 seasons)
2022–23 season NBA statistics (Celtics) — 23 games, 107 minutes, 20 points, 7–27 FG, 5–20 3FG, 17 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 blocks, 4 steals
2022–23 season G League statistics (Legends) — 14 games, 21.1 points, 44.2 FG%, 42.2 3FG%, 62.1 FT%, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists
Season opener — 8:30 Friday vs. Oklahoma City
Pete Nance, Cleveland Charge
Age 23 | 6–10, 225 | rookie pro season | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Final preseason NBA statistics — 2 games, 0 starts, 17 minutes, 2 points, 0–1 FT, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 1 foul
Season opener — 7 p.m. Friday vs. Wisconsin
Theo Pinson, Texas Legends guard
Age 27 | 6–7, 212 | sixth pro season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
2022–23 season statistics (Mavericks) — 40 games, 2.4 points, 35.6 FG%, 35.5 3P%, 84.6 FT, 1.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Season opener — 8:30 Friday vs. Oklahoma City
What is a game score?
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 @OrlandoMagic
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