By R.L. Bynum
Coby White, one of the four former Tar Heels who will play in the NBA postseason, concluded his best pro season with 26 points on Sunday. Rookie Leaky Black tied his season-high of 11 points in the Charlotte Hornets season-ending win.
White’s Bulls and Harrison Barnes’ Sacramento Kings play home elimination games this week in the play-in tournament.
Chicago is the Eastern Conference’s No. 9 seed and meets the Atlanta Hawks in a play-in tournament game at 9:30 Wednesday (ESPN). Chicago’s season is over with a loss. With a win, the Bulls would meet the loser of the 7 p.m. Wednesday play-in game between No. 7 seed Philadelphia and No. 8 seed Miami (ESPN).
White made 12 of 18 shots in Sunday’s 120–119 overtime loss at New York, his 14th game this season with more than 25 points. He averaged 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists, all career highs.
Sacramento is the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference and takes on No. 10 Golden State at 10 p.m. Tuesday (TNT). The Kings are eliminated with a loss. With a win, they would play the loser of a 7:30 Tuesday play-in game between No. 7 New Orleans and No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers (TNT).
In the Kings’ regular-season finale, Barnes scored 17 points in their 121–82 home win over Portland. His average of 12.2 points was his lowest total since averaging 11.7 in the 2015–16 season.
Cole Anthony’s Orlando Magic is the No. 5 seed in the East, and will meet the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in a first-round series.
Anthony collected 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in Orlando’s 113–88 Sunday victory over Milwaukee. He averaged 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists while playing 22.4 minutes per game, all career-lows.
Nassir Little’s Phoenix Suns are the No. 6 seed in the West and face No. 3 Minnesota in a first-round series. He had four points in five minutes of the Suns’ 125–106 Sunday win against the Timberwolves. Little only averaged 10.2 minutes and 3.4 points per game, both career-lows.
Black’s Hornets finished 21–61, but he scored 11 points in Charlotte’s 120–110 Sunday win at Cleveland. That matched the 11 points he scored on Feb. 2 at Oklahoma City.
Black averaged 2.7 points in 26 NBA games while averaging 7.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 26 games for the G League’s Greensboro Swarm.
Reggie Bullock finished a frustrating season for the 41–41 Houston Rockets, going scoreless in six minutes in their 116–106 season-ending road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was the 21st scoreless game this season for Bullock, who averaged 9.5 minutes and 2.2 points per game, his lowest since the 2014–15 season with Phoenix and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Brooklyn finished its season 32–50 after falling at Philadelphia on Sunday 107–58. Neither Cameron Johnson nor Day’Ron Sharpe played. Johnson missed the last two games with a left big toe sprain and Sharpe missed three of the last six games with a wrist injury.
Johnson averaged 13.4 points, his lowest since averaging 12.5 in the 2021–22 season for Phoenix. His 39.1% shooting from 3-point range was his lowest since shooting 34.9 in that same season.
Sharpe averaged 6.8 points and 6.4 rebounds, both career-highs.
Walker Kessler missed the last six Utah Jazz games with a nasal fracture. The Jazz finished 12th in the Western Conference with a 31–51 record. Kessler averaged 8.1 points and 7.5 rebounds, both down from his rookie season, and 2.4 blocks.
None of the four former Tar Heels in the G League made the playoffs.
Pete Nance’s Cleveland Charge finished 11th in the Eastern Conference, and he averaged 13.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He played in eight games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, with three points and three rebounds in 27 minutes.
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The Texas Legends, with Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson and Tony Bradley, finished ninth in the Western Conference.
Jackson, who played one minute over two games for the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaged 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 44 G League games.
Pinson averaged 14.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 46 games, while Bradley averaged 14.1 points and 9.4 rebounds in 17 games.
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 — 66 games, 10.2 points, 44.9 FG%, 38.2 3P%, 84.4 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Team record: 54–18, 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
Saturday: 134–119 win vs. Indiana — Started; 22:34, 12 points, 4–8 FG, 2–4 3FG, 2–3 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, +21 (tied for team-high)
Monday: 136–111 win at Miami — Didn’t start; 13 points, 4–8 FG, 4–7 3FG, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, +12
Next game — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Memphis
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 — 6 games, 8.8 points, 46.3 FG%, 42.9 3FG%, 4–4 FT, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 16–55, 14th in Eastern Conference
Thursday: 117–95 loss vs. Detroit and Saturday: 132–111 loss vs. Oklahoma City — Didn’t play
Sunday: 145–113 loss at New York — 16:43, 3 points, 1–2 FG, 1–1 3FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, -1
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday at Utah
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 — 47 games, 11.9 points, 46.8 FG%, 42.8 3P%, 83.7 FT%, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Team record: 45–28, 4th 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
Sunday: 128–112 win vs. Portland — Started; 27:42, 19 points, 7–10 FG, 5–7 3FG, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 foul, +19
Tuesday: 125–123 win at Phoenix — Started; 32:41, 14 points, 4–9 FG, 2–7 3FG, 4–4 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 5 fouls, team-low -12
Next game — 10 p.m. Wednesday vs. Dallas
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 — 37 games, 4.5 points, 56.4 FG%, 47.9 3P%, 2.2 rebounds, 0.7 of an assist
Team record: 29–42, 11th in Eastern Conference
Thursday: 128–96 loss at Utah — 13:02, 0–2 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, -14
Saturday: 108–105 win at Phoenix — 27:01, 5 points, 2–3 FG, 1–1 3FG, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 3 fouls, +1
Monday: 129–96 loss at Los Angeles Clippers — 31:25, 11 points, 5–12 FG, 1–4 3FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 2 fouls, -14
Next game — 10 p.m. Wednesday at Portland
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 — 54 games, 6.0 points, 41.3 FG%, 28.4 3FG%, 90.5 FT%, 1.7 rebounds, 1.5 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: 17–55, 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
Sunday: 126–122 loss at Sacramento — Started; 27:42, 8 points, 4–9 FG, 0–3 3FG, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 fouls, -3
Monday: 134–99 loss at Portland — Didn’t play (left knee injury management)
Next game — 10 p.m. Wednesday at Golden State
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 — 41 games, 17.8 points, 44.3 FG%, 36.0 3PFG, 81.6 FT%, 3.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists
Team record: 37–34, 9th 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 turnovers, 2 fouls, -2
Saturday: 124–101 win vs. Memphis — Didn’t start; 19:12, 12 points, 4–11 FG, 1–4 3FG, 3–4 FT, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 turnovers, 4 fouls, +13
Tuesday: 134–90 win vs. Sacramento — Didn’t start; 18:25, 27 points, 9–12 FG, 6–8 3FG, 3–3 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, +26
Next game — 7 p.m. Thursday vs. New York, NBATV
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 — 46 games, 18.6 points, 46.3 FG%, 41.8 3P%, 86.9 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.8 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
Saturday: 119–111 win vs. Grand Rapids Gold — Started; 29 minutes, 22 points, 8–10 FG, 1–2 3FG, 4–4 FT, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, -8
Tuesday: 115–114 loss vs. Stockton Kings — Started; 34 minutes, 16 points, 6–16 FG, 2–5 3FG, 1–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 fouls, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, 1 block, +1
Next game — 10 p.m. Thursday vs. Sioux Falls Skyforce
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 — 33 games, 16.1 points, 49.1 FG%, 34.2 3P%, 61.1 FT%, 12.0 rebounds, 4.8 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
Sunday: 117–97 win at Noblesville Boom — Started, 34 minutes, 15 points, 6–14 FG, 1–3 3FG, 1–2FT, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 fouls, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, +18
Next game — 8 p.m. Wednesday vs. Rip City Remix
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 — 10 games, 24.7 points, 43.3 FG%, 23.5 3P%, 75.8 FT%, 4.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 3.6 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
Saturday: 115–107 win vs. Raptors 905 — Started; 30 minutes, 20 points, 7–22 FG, 1–7 3FG, 3–3 FT, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 fouls, 4 turnovers, -14
Next game — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Austin Spurs, ESPN+
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, Saturday: 113–108 loss vs. Motor City Cruise and Monday: 113–108 loss vs. Motor City Cruise— Didn’t play
Next game — 11 a.m. Thursday at Raptors 905
Photo via @chicagobulls
