By R.L. Bynum
Coby White and Cam Johnson had big games but Harrison Barnes and Sacramento were the big winners as the Kings advanced to the quarterfinals of the inaugural In-Season Tournament. Nassir Little’s Suns also advanced, but he had a bigger off-the-court life moment.
Malik Monk’s fadeaway jumper with seven seconds left earned Sacramento a 124–123 home win Tuesday over Golden State to win Western Conference Group C at 4–0 and advance to the eight-team knockout round.
Barnes had 12 points, two 3-pointers, and four rebounds in the win, which put Sacramento in a 10 p.m. Monday Western Conference quarterfinal home game against New Orleans (TNT). Barnes scored all 12 points in the first half and didn’t play in the fourth quarter after going scoreless in 8½ third-quarter minutes.
Barnes is three away from 12,000 career points.
The only other UNC alum in the knockout round is Nassir Little, whose Phoenix Suns play on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. on Tuesday (TNT) in the other Western Conference quarterfinal. The Suns finished second in Western Conference Group A at 3–1.
In the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, Boston plays at Indiana at 7:30 Monday (TNT) and New York is at Milwaukee at 7:30 Tuesday (TNT)
The semifinals doubleheader is Thursday, Dec. 7, in Las Vegas, with the championship game at 8:30 Saturday night, Dec. 9, in Las Vegas.
Having his team advance was far from the biggest news for Little, who is missing the Suns’ game Wednesday in Toronto. He has been in Phoenix for the birth of his first child, a girl. Below is an Instagram post by his girlfriend from a week ago.
Cam Johnson had 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists to help Brooklyn win 115–103 at home against Toronto on Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough for the Nets to advance to the tournament quarterfinals.
The Nets (9–8 overall) finished in a three-way tie for first place in Eastern Conference Group C with Boston and Orlando at 3–1.
Entering Tuesday, the Nets needed at least a 15-point win and have Boston beat Chicago by fewer than 21 to win the group (the Celtics won 124–97). Brooklyn could have earned a wild-card berth with a win and losses by Cleveland, Miami and New York, but the Knicks beat Charlotte 115–91.
Day’Ron Sharpe had five points, five rebounds and two assists in 15 minutes for Brooklyn.
A familiar recent scenario played out again, with White playing well and Chicago losing.
White contributed 19 points and three 3-pointers in Chicago’s 124–97 loss at Boston, the Bulls’ fifth consecutive loss. Chicago (5–14 overall and 13th in the Eastern Conference) finished last at 0–4 in Eastern Conference Group C.
White had a 15.8 game score Tuesday and has put up three of his top four game scores on the season in the last five games.
Coming off the bench for the second straight game after returning from missing seven games with a UCL sprain, Walker Kessler had 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks Monday in Utah’s 114–112 home win over New Orleans.
Leaky Black didn’t score but had a steal in five minutes during Charlotte’s 115–91 Tuesday loss at New York.
Reggie Bullock didn’t play (coach’s decision) in Houston’s 121–115 road win Tuesday over Dallas, his former team. It was the second consecutive game and sixth in the last eight that he didn’t get in a game.
In the G League, Justin Jackson came off the bench to score 21 points and five 3-pointers and pulled down six rebounds in the Texas Legends’ 124–114 loss Tuesday at Rio Grande. Theo Pinson added 12 points, six assists, two rebounds and a block off the bench.
The Legends’ Tony Bradley still hasn’t made his season debut as he battles a calf injury.
On Monday, Pete Nance had 12 points, two 3-pointers and eight rebounds in the Cleveland Charge’s 102–92 home victory over Grand Rapids.
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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