Tar Heels in NBA: Barnes does it all for Kings with career-high 39 as Kings win thriller against Warriors, his former team; White scores 25

R.L. Bynum, ,

By R.L. Bynum

Harrison Barnes did it all for Sacramento on Thursday night to help the Kings win a thriller over one of his former teams.

The 12-year NBA veteran scored a career-high 39 points and seven 3-pointers, hitting consecutive clutch baskets and getting a huge block as the Kings earned a 134–133 road victory over the Golden State Warriors before a national TNT audience.

“It feels good,” Barnes told TNT after the game about beating his former team, as the Kings start a seven-game road trip. He put up a season-high 31.1 game score, his highest since producing a 33.2 when he scored 36 points and a career-high eight 3-pointers against Portland on Oct. 20, 2021.

His teammates could sense that Barnes, who was 14 of 25 from the floor and 7 of 12 from 3-point range, was in a zone and kept feeding him the ball.

“The way you have a high-powered offense is all five guys are going to have to make sacrifices at times,” said Barnes, who notched his 22nd game with at least 30 points, third this season and second in a row.

Barnes’ 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter gave the Kings a 104–101 lead and another Barnes 3 pushed their lead to six with 7:01 remaining.

After Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis’ dunk gave the Kings a one-point lead with 22 seconds left, Barnes blocked a driving shot by Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga with 18 seconds left. After Sacramento’s Kevin Huerter made two free throws with 15 seconds left, Golden State’s Stephen Curry turned the ball over with one second left.

“I think the biggest thing, honestly, is just getting this road trip started off right,” Barnes told the Sacramento Bee. “We talked about the importance of where we’re at in the season and how we’ve been playing lately, and I think just starting this road trip with a win was important for us.”

After Barnes combined for 28 points during the Kings’ four-game losing streak, he has scored 71 as they have won back-to-back games after collecting 32 in Monday’s 122–107 win over Atlanta.

“We feel like we have a good team, and when the ball is moving, I want to take open shots. When the ball is finding me, I just try to maximize my opportunities,” Barnes said.

Barnes’ scoring average and shots have gone down most of the season, with De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Keegan Murray getting the bulk of Sacramento’s offensive load. But Barnes has shot well throughout, making 48.3% of his shots on the season and 41% from 3-point range.

Kings coach Mike Brown said he called more plays for Barnes on Thursday than for any other game this season.

“I think a lot of it just happens in the flow,” Fox said. “But that’s kind of how he is getting going, and once he’s going, there is more of an effort to get him the ball in certain spots.”

Coby White had another big game with 25 points, three 3-pointers, seven rebounds and three assists, but in a 141–132 Thursday road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, who got 25 points and 12 assists from LeBron James.

White made 8 of 18 shots, including 3 of 10 from 3-point range and had seven rebounds and three assists.

Brooklyn has lost three in a row. Cameron Johnson scored 19 points and four 3-pointers in the Nets’ 108–105 home loss Tuesday to New York, then had five points, four rebounds and three assists in Thursday’s 96–94 home loss to Minnesota. Day’Ron Sharpe missed both games with a hyperextended left knee.

Walker Kessler had six points and four blocks in Utah’s 153–124 Tuesday loss at New Orleans, and four points and three rebounds in Wednesday’s 123–108 victory at Washington.

Leaky Black made his only shot, a 3-point attempt, and had two rebounds in Charlotte’s 113–106 Wednesday loss at Detroit.

Nassir Little, in his first action in three games, had two points in four minutes Wednesday in Phoenix’s 132–109 victory at Dallas.

Pete Nance played two scoreless minutes for Cleveland in the Cavaliers’ 126–116 Wednesday loss at Milwaukee.

Reggie Bullock missed his fourth consecutive Houston Rockets game Wednesday with a strained lower back.

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 @SacramentoKings

Published by R.L. Bynum

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