UNC Basketball: Cameron Johnson scores career-high, hits game-winner

With two of the league’s best closers out of the Phoenix Suns’ lineup, former UNC basketball standout Cameron Johnson capped off a career performance with a last-second game-winning shot.

With Chris Paul potentially sidelined for the remainder of the season with a broken thumb and Devin Booker stuck in the NBA’s health-and-safety protocols, who did the Phoenix Suns turn to on Friday night when they needed a clutch bucket down the stretch?

Well, Cameron Johnson, of course.

Johnson had already put together a career performance en route to 35 points, and that was prior to the last-second shot he hit that lifted the Suns to a 115-114 victory over the New York Knicks. Then, with just over a second remaining in regulation, Johnson took a 31-foot three-pointer from the top of the key and banked in the dagger that sent the Phoenix players, coaches, and crowd into a frenzy.

"“Just thankful that it went down,” Johnson said. “I love my guys. They really fought from top to bottom. That last play says one thing but we are not in that situation without the group of guys that we have.”"

In doing so, Johnson joined Portland Trail Blazers All-Pro point guard Damian Lillard as the only two players in league history to have a game-winning three-pointer while hitting at least nine threes in a game. Johnson’s nine three-pointers also tie a franchise record.

"“I was kind of ahead in the pack, so I slowed down and got behind him and he did a pitch back, which we do a lot. Kind of made eye contact with me, he flipped it back and I had a clean sight to the hoop with a dribble to take. I looked at the clock, so I had enough time before I caught it and just tried to let it go and try not to be short and definitely shoot it long.”"

And this was all after Johnson’s altercation with All-Star forward Julius Randle — one that involved some rough play before the whistle and some pushing and shoving after it — which earned Johnson a technical and Randle a pair of technicals that sent the latter to the locker room with time winding down in the third quarter and the Knicks leading by 10.

"“That was the first technical of my career, but I just thought I couldn’t stand for that,” Johnson said. “Whatever I did to deserve that was one thing, but I just couldn’t stand for that.”"

That’s when Johnson went back to work.

His career-high 38 points came on career-highs in shots made and attempted (11-of-16), three-pointers, (9-of-12), and free throws made and attempted (7-of-8). He’s averaging 12.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting an unbelievable 44.8 percent from three-point range.

Cam Johnson’s name should be thrown around a lot when it comes time to hand out the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

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