By R.L. Bynum
No team in the NBA wants to help the Detroit Pistons end their long losing streak. Cameron Johnson scored a season-high 24 points, and Day’Ron Sharpe notched his fifth double-double and a career-high four blocks to ensure Tuesday that it wouldn’t be the Brooklyn Nets.
Johnson scored nearly a point a minute in 26 minutes, and Sharpe collected 11 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes as the Nets won at Detroit 118–112.
The Pistons’ 27-game losing streak is a single-season NBA record. The overall worst losing streak in North American sports history was the Philadelphia 76ers’ 28-game skid that started in the 2014–15 season and ended in the 2015-16 season.
“We all see it. We ain’t trying to be the one they get their win on, so we’re going to play just as hard,” said Sharpe, whose five double-doubles off the bench lead the NBA. “I feel like everybody tunes in to watch them get a win. And it’s not going to be on us.”
It was Nets’ second straight win over Detroit after winning 126–115 on Saturday in Brooklyn.
Johnson was 9 of 13 from the floor, made 4 of 6 3-point attempts and pulled down two rebounds for a 20.0 game score, his second-highest this season. Sharpe was 3 of 8 from the floor, 5 of 7 from the free-throw line and added three assists and two steals.
Sharpe tied his season-high with an 18.6 game score, matching his effort two games earlier at home against Denver on Dec. 22, when he had 13 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. His only better career game score was 21.9 last season on March 21 in a 20-point, 11-rebound, two-block game against Cleveland.
Sharpe credited his recent good play to just playing his game and having a high motor.
“I’m just so locked in, I’m not thinking about nothing else, just what’s going on in front of me,” Sharpe said. “Just like as we play, just figure out what guys are doing, what move they’ve been doing the whole time. I’m just out there playing hard, and I just wanted to win, for real.”
Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn praised Sharpe’s play of late, and his ability to stack one good game after another.
“It just shows his maturity,” Vaughn said. “You have to be prepared to play, you have to do your homework and be prepared to play, and he’s been doing that. He has the ability to rebound the basketball, and there’s a toughness that’s about him that we need on a lot of nights just because he’s a big dude, and we need a big dude in the middle to push and grab rebounds and set screens and be okay doing that. He isn’t complicating things, and I think that’s the best lesson learned right now. You keep it simple, do the things that you do really well, and you’ll continue to get minutes.”
Johnson will miss Wednesday’s home game with Milwaukee for “injury maintenance” with a right knee sprain.
Coby White has hit a perimeter shooting slump, but still scored 19 points as host Chicago held on to top Atlanta 118–113.
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White, who scored at least three 3-pointers in 14 consecutive games to break the Bulls franchise record in a streak that ended Dec. 21, missed all seven 3-point attempts against the Hawks after missing all eight attempts in Saturday’s home loss to Cleveland.
Walker Kessler matched Sharpe’s total of four blocks, and had 11 points and seven rebounds in Utah’s 130–118 win at San Antonio. Kessler has eight games with at least four blocks this season and is third in the league with 2.8 per game.
Cole Anthony collected 11 points, three rebounds and four assists as Orlando finished its road trip 2–4 after winning 127-119 in Washington for the Magic’s second straight win.
Harrison Barnes had nine points and five rebounds in Sacramento’s 130–113 road loss to Portland.
On Monday, Charlotte transferred Leaky Black to the G League’s Greensboro roster. The Swarm plays College Park at home at 7 p.m. Wednesday (ESPN+).
Reggie Bullock, who wasn’t available for two games because of sickness, was back in uniform for Houston’s 123–117 win over Indiana but didn’t play (coach’s decision.)
Nassir Little, who still is recovering from an orbital fracture, played three scoreless minutes in Phoenix’s 128–114 home loss Monday to Dallas.
Harrison Barnes, San Antonio Spurs forward
Age 33 | 6–7, 225 | 14th season | $19 million salary | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting power forward ahead of Keldon Johnson
Season statistics — 64 games, 10.2 points, 44.8 FG%, 38.3 3P%, 84.9 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Team record: 52–18, 2nd in Western Conference
Thursday: 101–100 win vs. Phoenix — Started; 23:05, 6 points, 3–6 FG, 0–2 3FG, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal, -4
Next game — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Indiana
Leaky Black, Washington Wizards guard
Age 26 | 6–6, 209 | 3rd season | Two-way contract | UNC 2018–23 (5 seasons)
Season G League statistics — 38 games, 10.3 points, 45.6 FG%, 36.5 3P%, 66.7 FT%, 7.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.9 steals
Season NBA statistics — 5 games, 10.0 points, 46.2 FG%, 40.0 3FG%, 4–4 FT, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 assist
Team record: 16–52, 14th in Eastern Conference
Thursday: 117–95 loss vs. Detroit — Didn’t play
Next game — 5 p.m. Saturday vs. Oklahoma City
Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets forward
Age 29 | 6–8, 210 | 7th season | $22.54 million salary | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting small forward ahead of Tim Hardaway Jr.
Season statistics — 44 games, 11.8 points, 46.6 FG%, 43.1 3P%, 83.5 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Team record: 43–28, 5th in Western Conference
Wednesday: 125–118 loss at Memphis — Started; 33:29, 20 points, 7–13 FG, 5–6 3FG, 1–2 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, -6
Friday: 121–115 win vs. Toronto — Started; 30:55, 6 points, 2–7 FT, 0–4 3FG, 2–3 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 1 foul, +7
Next game — 5 p.m. Sunday vs. Portland, NBATV
Pete Nance, Milwaukee Bucks center
Age 25 | 6–9, 225 | 3rd season | Two-way contract | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Season G League statistics — 12 games, 19.0 points, 53.7 FG%, 40.3 3P%, 78.9 FT%, 8.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.1 blocks
Season NBA statistics — 35 games, 4.6 points, 57.1 FG%, 47.8 3P%, 2.1 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist
Team record: 28–41, 11th in Eastern Conference
Thursday: 128–96 loss at Utah — 13:02, 0–2 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, -14
Next game — 10 p.m. Saturday at Phoenix, NBATV
Drake Powell, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 20 | 6–5, 195 | Rookie season | 4-year NBA rookie contract | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting shooting guard
Season NBA statistics — 52 games, 6.1 points, 41.4 FG%, 29.2 3FG%, 90.5 FT%, 1.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Season G League statistics — 5 games, 11.8 points, 44.2 FG%, 36.4 3FG%, 72.7 FT%, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.6 steals
Team record: 17–53, 13th in Eastern Conference
Wednesday: 121–92 loss vs. Oklahoma City — Started; 16:22, 3 points, 1–2 FG, 1–1 3FG, 1 turnover, -13
Friday: 93–92 loss vs. New York — Started; 24:36, 2 points, 1–4 FG, 0–1 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, -12
Next game — 6 p.m. Sunday at Sacramento
Coby White, Charlotte Hornets forward
Age 26 | 6–4, 195 | 7th season | $12.88 million salary | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Roster situation — Backup point guard behind LaMelo Ball
Season statistics — 38 games, 17.6 points, 43.6 FG%, 34.0 3PFG, 80.6 FT%, 3.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists
Team record: 36–34, 10th in Eastern Conference
Thursday: 130–111 win vs. Orlando — Didn’t start; 22:50, 27 points, 7–13 FG, 5–8 3FG, 8–8 FT, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 turnover, 2 fouls, -2
Next game — 7 p.m. Saturday vs. Memphis
Out for season
— Brooklyn Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe (UCL tear in left thumb); season statistics: 62 games, 8.7 points, 60.1 FG%, 23.1 3P%, 67.8 FT%, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists
— Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (torn labrum in left shoulder); season statistics: 5 games, 14.4 points, 70.3 FG%, 75.0 3P%, 70.0 FT%, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.8 blocks
Waived
— Cole Anthony by the Phoenix Suns
— Tony Bradley by the Indiana Pacers
RJ Davis, South Bay Lakers guard
Age 23 | 6–0, 180 | rookie season | Exhibit 10 contract | UNC 2020–25 (5 seasons)
Season statistics — 44 games, 18.4 points, 45.6 FG%, 41.7 3P%, 86.1 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 0.9 of a steal
Friday: 111–98 win vs. Grand Rapids Gold — Started; 33 minutes, 25 points, 8–16 FG, 3–7 3FG, 3–3 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, +13
Next game — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Grand Rapids Gold
Harrison Ingram, Austin Spurs forward
Age 23 | 6–5, 230 | 2nd season | Two-way contract | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Season NBA statistics — 3 games, 11 minutes, 5 points, 2–3 FG, 1–1 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 fouls, +13
Season G League statistics — 35 games, 16.2 points, 49.3 FG%, 34.1 3P%, 61.0 FT%, 12.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals
Friday: 121–107 win at Noblesville Boom — Started, 34 minutes, 26 points, 11–16 FG, 2–3 3FG, 1–1 FT, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 fouls, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, +11
Next game — 3 p.m. Sunday at Noblesville Boom
Caleb Love, Rip City Remix (Trail Blazers) guard
Age 24 | 6–3, 212 | Rookie season | Two-way contract | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
NBA season statistics — 45 games (limited to 50 under his two-way contract), 11.3 points, 39.0 FG%, 32.1 3P%, 73.5 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists
G League season statistics — 8 games, 24.3 points, 44.8 FG%, 22.7 3P%, 71.4 FT%, 3.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.8 turnovers
Friday: 126–117 loss vs. Raptors 905 — Started; 37 minutes, 33 points, 9–21 FG, 4–12 3FG, 7–9 FT, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, +3
Next game — 6 p.m. Saturday vs. Raptors 905
Cormac Ryan, Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) guard
Age 26 | 6–5, 195 | 2nd season | Two-way contract | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Season statistics — 31 games, 20.9 points, 48.8 FG%, 42.2 3P%, 89.0 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals
Friday: 123–105 loss vs. Motor City Cruise— Didn’t play
Next game — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Motor City Cruise
Photo via @BrooklynNets
