By R.L. Bynum
Coby White’s return as the Chicago Bulls’ starting point guard hasn’t always been smooth this season, with his best assist numbers in four seasons but his worst shooting percentages since his rookie season.
In splitting the last two games against Miami at home, he found the rhythm, following up a 14-point, five-assist effort in Saturday’s 102–97 victory with a season-high 20 points Monday, with five rebounds and three assists, in a 118–101 defeat. He scored four 3-pointers in both games.
White, who led Chicago in scoring Monday, dished out a combined eight assists in the two games to boost his average to 4.1, matching his career-high in the 2020–21 season, his second in the league.
White was 7 of 11 from the floor, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range in Monday’s game. He is shooting 39.6% from the floor (his worst since shooting 39.4% in his rookie 2019–20 season) and 32.6% from outside the arc (35.4% in 2019–20).
He’s scored in double figures in the last three games (16 points at Milwaukee on Nov. 13) after combining for nine points and 4 of 16 shooting in the previous two games.
Chicago (5–10) hasn’t won back-to-back games all season and dealt with a controversy last weekend when guard Zach LaVine declined a postgame interview.
In a nearly eight-minute video posted Monday on the Bulls’ website, “All-Access: Behind-the-Scenes with Coby White,” Golden State guard Chris Paul talks about White’s development, his personality and “big heart,” and Chris Fleming, a Bulls assistant coach, talks about his resiliency and stubbornness.
Harrison Barnes has also dealt with shooting woes but was 4 of 9 from the floor and made 3 of 6 3-point attempts to score 16 points — 12 in the first half — Monday in the Sacramento Kings’ 129–83 loss at New Orleans. He scored 12 points in Sunday’s 129–113 win at Dallas, going 4 of 11 from the floor and 1 of 6 outside the arc.
Barnes is shooting 45.4% from the floor, the worst since shooting 42% in the 2018–19 season and is making only 35.9% of his 3-point attempts, his worst since shooting 35.7% in the 2017–18 season.
Sacramento (8–5) leads the Pacific Division and is fifth in the Western Conference.
Cole Anthony collected 15 points, five rebounds and three assists Sunday in Orlando’s 128–116 victory at Indiana. He’s scored in double figures in the last four games for the Magic (8–5), which is fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Cameron Johnson had nine points, five rebounds and two assists in Brooklyn’s 121–99 Sunday loss to Philadelphia. Day’Ron Sharpe contributed six points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 20 minutes.
After not playing (coach’s decision) in the previous four Houston games and six of the previous eight, Reggie Bullock played eight scoreless minutes with five rebounds, missing a pair of 3-point attempts, in the Rockets’ 121–116 Monday loss at Golden State.
In 60 minutes this season, he has six points, 12 rebounds and three assists.
Nassir Little has played in three consecutive Phoenix games after not playing (coach’s decision) in the previous four. He scored a season-high 10 points in 20 minutes, with two 3-pointers, three rebounds, two assists and three blocks, in the Suns’ 140–137 win Sunday at Utah.
It was only the third time he’s played more than 14 minutes this season.
Jazz center Walker Kessler missed the game and is expected to miss another week recovering from a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow suffered in the season opener. After playing through it for eight games, the team decided he needed rest and treatment to fully recover.
In the G League on Saturday, Pete Nance had six points and three rebounds in Cleveland’s 104–100 win at Windy City but was scoreless with 11 rebounds in Sunday’s 94–75 loss at Windy City.
Theo Pinson had 12 points, six rebounds, seven assists and two steals Sunday in the Texas Legends’ 119–105 win at Birmingham. Justin Jackson had seven points, four rebounds and four assists, and Tony Bradley still hasn’t made his season debut for the team.
After nearly putting up a triple-double in his G League debut with the Greensboro Swarm on Friday, Leaky Black had four points, nine rebounds and three assists in the team’s 105–81 home win over Raptors 905 on Saturday.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 23 | 6–3, 185 | fourth NBA season | $5,539,771 salary | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
113–88 Sunday win vs. Milwaukee — 17 minutes, 13 points, 5–9 FG, 1–3 3PFG, 2–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover 3 fouls, +13
Season statistics — 81 games, 11.6 points, 43.5 FG%, 33.8 3P%, 82.6 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Record — Finished 47–35, 5th in Eastern Conference; Next game — Saturday, Game 1 of the first-round series as No. 5 East seed at No. 4 Cleveland
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings forward
Age 31 | 6–8, 225 | 12th NBA season | $17,000,000 salary | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
121–82 Sunday win vs. Portland — Started; 31 minutes, 17 points, 5–8 FG, 2–4 3FG, 5–7 FT, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnovers, 1 foul, +37
Season statistics — 82 games, 12.2 points, 47.4 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 80.1 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Record — Finished 46–36, tied for 9th in Western Conference; Next game — 10 p.m. Tuesday as No. 9 seed in play-in tournament vs. No. 10 Golden State, TNT (loser eliminated)
Leaky Black, Charlotte Hornets guard
Age 24 | 6–9, 209 | rookie NBA season | Two-way contract | UNC 2018–23 (5 seasons)
120–110 Sunday win at Cleveland — 32 minutes, 11 points, 4–4 FG, 2–2 3FG, 1–1 FT, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 fouls, +22
NBA season statistics — 26 games, 2.7 points, 48.1 FG%, 45.0 3FG%, 66.7 FT%, 1.8 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist
G League season statistics — 25 games, 7.1 points, 43.7 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 61.9 FT%, 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.5 of a block
Record — Finished 21–61, 13th in Eastern Conference;
Reggie Bullock, Houston Rockets guard
Age 32 | 6–6, 205 | 11th NBA season | $10,489,600 salary | UNC 2010–13 (3 seasons)
116–106 Sunday loss at Los Angeles Clippers — 6 minutes, 0 points, 0–1 FG, 0–1 3FG, 3 rebounds, 1 turnovers, 1 foul, -1
Season statistics — 44 games, 2.2 points, 41.5 FG%, 40.3 3P%, 1–1 FT, 1.7 rebounds, 0.3 of an assist
Record — Finished 41–41, 11th in Western Conference
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 27 | 6–8, 210 | fifth NBA season | $25,679,348 salary | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
107–86 Sunday loss at Philadelphia — Didn’t play (left big toe sprain); missed last two games
Season statistics — 58 games, 13.4 points, 44.6 FG%, 39.1 3P%, 78.9 FT%, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Record — Finished 32–50, 11th in Eastern Conference
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 22 | 7–0, 245 | second NBA season | $2,831,160 salary | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
123–116 Sunday loss at Golden State — Didn’t play (nasal fracture); missed last six games
Season statistics — 64 games, 8.1 points, 65.5 FG%, 21.1 3P%, 60.2 FT%, 7.5 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist, 2.4 blocks
Record — Finished 31–51, 12th in Western Conference
Nassir Little, Phoenix Sun wing
Age 23 | 6–4, 220 | fifth NBA season | $6,250,060 salary | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
125–106 Sunday win at Minnesota — 5 minutes, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 0–1 3FG, -5
Season statistics — 45 games, 3.4 points, 46.0 FG%, 30.0 3P%, 85.0 FT%, 1.7 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist
Record — Finished 49–33, 6th in Western Conference; Next game — Saturday, Game 1 of the first-round series as No. 6 seed at No. 3 Minnesota
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 21 | 6–9, 265 | third NBA season | $2,210,040 salary | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
107–86 Sunday loss at Philadelphia — Didn’t play (wrist injury); missed three of last six games
Season statistics — 61 games, 6.8 points, 57.1 FG%, 26.7 3P%, 51.0 FT%, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Record — Finished 32–50, 11th in Eastern Conference
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 23 | 6–5, 195 | fifth NBA season | $11,111,111 salary | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
120–119 Sunday overtime loss at New York — Started; 43 minutes, 26 points, 12–18 FG, 0–3 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, +1
Season statistics — 79 games, 19.1 points, 44.7 FG%, 37.6 3P%, 83.8 FT%, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists
Record — Finished 39–43, 9th in Eastern Conference; Next game — 9:30 Wednesday as No. 9 seed vs. No. 10 Atlanta in play-in tournament, ESPN (loser eliminated)
In G League
Tony Bradley, Texas Legends center
Age 25 | 6–11, 248 | seventh pro season | UNC 2016–17 (1 season)
Season statistics — 17 games, 14.1 points, 67.1 FG%, 71.9 FT%, 9.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.6 block
Record — Finished 18–16, 9th in Western Conference; finished 6–10 in Showcase Cup
Justin Jackson, Texas Legends guard
Age 28 | 6–8, 220 | seventh pro season | UNC 2014–17 (3 seasons)
Season G League statistics — 44 games, 19.9 points, 46.4 FG%, 40.5 3P%, 85.0 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.7 of a steal, 0.5 of a block
Season NBA statistics (with Minnesota) — 2 games, 1 minute, 0 points
Record — Finished 18–16, 9th in Western Conference; finished 6–10 in Showcase Cup
Pete Nance, Cleveland Charge
Age 23 | 6–10, 225 | rookie pro season | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
G League season statistics — 42 games; 13.2 points, 46.8 FG%, 35.8 3FG%, 74.5 FT%, 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 of a steal, 1.5 blocks
Season NBA season statistics (with Cleveland) — 8 games, 27 minutes, 3 points, 1–6 FG, 1–1 3FG, 0–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 2 fouls
Record — Finished 15–7, 11th in Eastern Conference; finished 6–10 in Showcase Cup
Theo Pinson, Texas Legends guard
Age 27 | 6–7, 212 | sixth pro season | UNC 2014–18 (4 seasons)
Season statistics — 46 games, 14.8 points, 42.6 FG%, 38.2 3P%, 82.2 FT%, 6.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 of a block
Record — Finished 18–16, 9th in Western Conference; finished 6–10 in Showcase Cup
Photo via @chicagobulls
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