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It’s another example of the transfer portal’s significant impact on college basketball to realize that there might be more former Tar Heels playing for other colleges next season than in the NBA. Potentially, 10 former UNC players could be playing for other colleges next season, and only eight are locks to make NBA rosters next season.
On a night when Harrison Barnes’ Sacramento Kings ended the longest playoff drought in NBA history without one of his best games, the Brooklyn Nets got a much-needed win in Cameron Johnson’s best game of the season. Johnson scored 31 points in 34 minutes, with five 3-pointers, seven rebounds and five assists.
Without four regular Portland starters, Nassir Little came off the bench to play his most minutes in over a month and the third-most this season. He did all he could for the depleted Blazers with a season-high 28 points in 31 minutes as they kept it close before losing 118–112 at home Sunday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As Harrison Barnes put Sacramento a win away from the franchise’s first playoff berth in 17 years, other former Carolina players put up big numbers in recent days, including a career-high 31 from Walker Kessler, 23 from Cameron Johnson and two 19-point nights from Coby White.
The Brooklyn Nets haven’t given Day’Ron Sharpe many chances to show what he can bring to the team in recent weeks. He took advantage of a chance Tuesday night. After playing only two of the previous nine games, Sharpe came off the bench to lead the Nets in scoring and was a game-high +27 in their 115–109 home loss Tuesday to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn’s fourth consecutive loss.
Justin Jackson has put up a lot of big numbers in the G League since joining the struggling Texas Legends on Feb. 24 and did that again on Thursday night, finally in a victory. He had that sweet jump shot going that Carolina fans know so well, and put together an outstanding overall game.
During a rough week for Cameron Johnson, at least he helped Brooklyn get a hard-fought overtime victory on Friday. After he missed the Nets’ Thursday’s 118–113 at Milwaukee with right knee soreness, he was back in the starting lineup for Brooklyn’s 124–123 overtime victory Friday at Minnesota.
Cole Anthony had one of his more productive games this season, but Orlando couldn’t overcome short-handed Milwaukee, playing without two All-Stars. Anthony scored a team-high 23 points, his third-highest scoring game this season, but Orlando lost at home 134–123 to Milwaukee, who played without Giannis Antetokounmpo (non-COVID-19 illness) and Jrue Holiday (sore neck).
Justin Jackson would obviously prefer to still be on an NBA roster, but the plus side is that he’s getting plenty of playing time being back with the G League’s Texas Legends. To say that Jackson was shooting well from the start of Monday’s game would be an understatement. He scored four 3-pointers in the first five minutes, with every shot getting nothing but net.
Garrison Brooks had the best game of his professional career to help the Westchester Knicks ended a four-game losing streak. Brooks put up career-high totals with 26 points and 20 rebounds as the Knicks won at home against the Windy City Bulls 121–120 on Sunday.
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