By R.L. Bynum
Coby White continues to play well and earn the love of Chicago Bulls fans.
He scored season-highs of 31 points and eight 3-pointers to lead Chicago to back-to-back wins for the first time this season. Two nights after scoring 23 points in an upset victory over Milwaukee, White made 10 of 17 shots, including 8 of 13 from outside the arc, and had nine rebounds and six assists as the host Bulls knocked off the New Orleans Pelicans 124–118.
How good was it for White? There were chants of “Coby, Coby, Coby” from the United Center crowd in the game’s last five minutes.
After only scoring three first-half points, White scored 28 in the second half — his career-high for a half — on 7 of 9 3-point shooting.
White’s 27.2 game score was the third-highest of his career, behind only a 31.3 game score at Sacramento (36 points, four 3-pointers, seven assists and three rebounds) on Jan. 6, 2021, and a 27.9 game score his rookie year against Oklahoma City (35 points, six 3-pointers, seven rebounds, three assists) on Feb. 25, 2020.
White has scored four or more 3-pointers in seven of the last eight games, shooting at least 40% from outside the arc in each game of that stretch after struggling with his shot early in the season.
“The coaching staff and my teammates, they trust me. They find me,” White said. “If I don’t shoot it, I get cussed out, so I might as well shoot it.”
The eight 3-pointers tied his career high, which he also made against the Pelicans on Feb. 20, 2021. White, who fell five points short of his career-scoring high of 36 against Sacramento on Jan. 6, 2021, has scored at least 14 points in the last eight games.
White helped secure the victory on a pass just out of the reach of the Pelicans’ Jonas Valanciunas to Patrick Williams with 20 seconds left for an alley-oop dunk to give the Bulls a six-point lead.
“As long as I threw it up high enough that Valanciunas couldn’t get it, I knew that Pat is so athletic and bouncy and springy that he could go get it,” White said. “That’s becoming his thing: ending the game with monster dunks.”
The Bulls (7–14) are 13th in the Eastern Conference.
Cole Anthony rebounded from scoring only four points in Friday’s 130–125 Orlando home win over Washington with 20 points and five rebounds on Saturday night. The latter came in a 129–101 defeat at Brooklyn, ending the Magic’s nine-game win streak.
Orlando (14–6) is second in the Eastern Conference, leading the Southeast Division by three games.
Cameron Johnson had 14 points, three 3-pointers, seven rebounds and three assists for the Nets (10–9), with Day’Ron Sharpe contributing five points, six rebounds, two assists and a block.
Walker Kessler collected 12 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in Utah’s 118–113 overtime win Saturday over Portland.
Harrison Barnes scored 11 points and pulled down three rebounds in Sacramento’s 123–117 Saturday victory over reigning NBA champion Denver.
The Kings (11–7) play New Orleans at 10 p.m. Monday (TNT) in the quarterfinals of the In-Season Tournament.
Nassir Little combined for six points and four rebounds in two Phoenix home games, a 119–11 Friday loss to Denver and a 116–111 Saturday win over Memphis.
Leaky Black didn’t play (coach’s decision) in Charlotte’s 129–128 win at Brooklyn or in the Hornets’ 123–117 home Saturday loss to Minnesota.
Reggie Bullock didn’t play (coach’s decision) in Houston’s 107–97 Saturday road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the G League, Justin Jackson scored 23 points and three 3-pointers with four rebounds and three assists in the Texas Legends’ 110–109 Saturday home loss to Memphis. Theo Pinson had 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Legends. While recovering from a calf injury, Tony Bradley still hasn’t made his season debut.
On Friday, Pete Nance had 10 points, seven rebounds and two steals in the Cleveland Charge’s 113–109 loss to Sioux Falls.
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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