By R.L. Bynum
Although a milestone by teammate Kevin Durant overshadowed Nassir Little’s effort, the fifth-year former UNC forward had his best game of the season against his former team.
The Portland Trail Blazers dealt Little after four seasons with them, and he showed them what they gave up on Tuesday night. In 22 minutes, Little scored 13 points and pulled down five rebounds, all three numbers season-highs, as the host Phoenix Suns knocked off the Blazers 120–107 in an In-Season Tournament game.
“You can tell he put into work, and he’s a good player,” Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said of Little. “There are a lot of guys on that bench that I trust. He’s playing solid two-way basketball — getting shots, getting plays off the bounce offensively — and he brings a lot of toughness on rebounding and defense.
Little was part of a three-team deal on Sept. 27 that sent him, former Duke star Grayson Allen, Jusuf Nurkić, and Keon Johnson to Phoenix, Damian Lillard to Milwaukee, and Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara and Deandre Ayton to Portland.
It’s been challenging for Little, who didn’t play in five of six games during a stretch from Nov. 2 to Nov. 12. After not scoring more than six points in his first seven games, Little has double-figure points in consecutive games after scoring 10 points in Sunday’s win at Utah. He scored seven points, including a 3-pointer, in the third quarter Tuesday.
With 31 points, Durant — in his 1,000th NBA game — passed Elvin Hayes for 11th on the league’s all-time scoring list.
The Suns moved to 2–1 in tournament pool play, 1½ games back of the Los Angeles Lakers in West Group A.
Cole Anthony scored 15 points and dished out a season-high 10 assists in Orlando’s 126–107 Tuesday home In-Season Tournament victory over Toronto. It was Anthony’s first double-figure assist total since his career-high 11 assists in four games during the 2021–22 season, his second season in the league.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley has preached defense for his team. It made a difference down the stretch against the Raptors, and Anthony did his part.
“We strap up, simple as that. We all take pride,” Anthony said. “Jalen [Suggs] and [Joe Ingles], who I like to call the heads of the states on the defensive end — those are two dudes who have all-defensive team potential. I just know, for me, when I’m on the bench, I’m watching how hard Jalen plays on the defensive end; it makes me want to go out there and guard. I think the energy is contagious. Moseley instilled into us that we can be the best defensive team in the league, and I think we’ve been showing that so far.”
Orlando is 2–1 in East Group C, tied with Brooklyn for second place, a half-game behind the Boston Celtics.
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
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