Korver sets 3-point shooting record
Associated Press
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ATLANTA — Kyle Korver hopes to be able to sleep better now that his chase for the NBA record for consecutive games with a 3-pointer is over.
Korver made a 3 for a 90th straight game, Al Horford scored 22 points, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-89 Friday night.
Korver’s 3 with 5:29 remaining in the first quarter broke a tie with Dana Barros (1994-96).
“It feels good, I’m glad it’s done” Korver said after scoring 10 points and making 2 of 3 from beyond the arc. “My naps the last couple (game days) haven’t been very solid. I’m the product of good team basketball, of setting screens and (getting) good passes and floor spacing and all of that.
“There’s a lot of thanks to go around … players who aren’t here, coaches who aren’t here this year and this group in here. I just said, ‘Thank you.’”
Korver has made 47 percent of his 3-point shots (235 of 502) during the streak.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said he didn’t think the team went out of its way to get the 11-year veteran from Creighton the ball in position to break the record, but admitted that his players might say otherwise.
Korver missed his first try just 1:03 into the game as fans rose from their seats as he rose to shoot. Everybody in Philips Arena stood up again just an instant before the record-setter swished to give Atlanta an 18-10 lead.
“DeMarre (Carroll) passed up a wide-open shot to try to get him the ball, and I gave up a transition try,” said Atlanta point guard Jeff Teague, who scored 13 points. “I wish I made the pass.”
That honor went to forward Paul Millsap, who scored 16 points and tied his season high with 14 rebounds to help offset a season-high 30 points off the bench by Cleveland’s Dion Waiters.
Millsap, who was also a teammate of Korver’s with the Jazz, was more proud of his assist to Korver than anything else.
“I’m in the history book now,” he said with a smile. “I’m in awe to see something like that. Teams focus on keeping him off the 3-point line, and for him to do that for so long is an amazing accomplishment.”
Atlanta (11-10) won with balance as seven Hawks scored in double figures and the home team had little trouble with the Cavs (6-13), who fell to 1-10 on the road.
Jarrett Jack added 13 points off the bench for Cleveland, but all Cavs other than him, Waiters and Bynum (20 points, season-high 13 rebounds) combined to shoot 12 for 50.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jeffery Taylor matched a career high with 20 points, leading six Charlotte scorers in double figures.
Subbing for injured starter Michael Kidd-Gilchrist at small forward, Taylor scored nine of Charlotte’s first 22 points. Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker added 18 apiece, and Walker also had a season-high 10 assists.
Al Jefferson had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Bobcats. Ramon Sessions added 13 points and rookie Cody Zeller chipped in with 10.
Philadelphia was led by Tony Wroten’s 21 points. Evan Turner added 16, Hollis Thompson scored 12 and Spencer Hawes had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
The Sixers played without starting point guard Michael Carter-Williams, who came in averaging 17.7 points. The rookie sat out because of a sore right knee.
NEW YORK — Carmelo Anthony had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and New York snapped a seven-game home losing streak.
Andrea Bargnani and J.R. Smith each added 17 points for the Knicks, who followed their 113-83 rout of Brooklyn on Thursday with an even more powerful performance, giving them consecutive victories for the first time this season after a nine-game losing streak.
The Knicks hadn’t won at home since beating Milwaukee in their season opener on Oct. 30. The seven-game skid had matched the longest in franchise history, set during the 2007-08 season.
Arron Afflalo scored 20 points for the Magic, who dropped their fourth straight. Victor Oladipo added 17 points and nine rebounds.
BOSTON — Kris Humphries came off the bench and had a season-high 18 points and seven rebounds for Boston, which scored the first 14 points of the game and held on for the win.
Jordan Crawford had 22 points and eight assists, and Avery Bradley scored 18 as the Celtics won their second straight game to remain in first place in the Atlantic Division despite a 9-12 record that would rank no better than fifth in any division in the Western Conference.
Ty Lawson scored 20 points and J.J. Hickson had 17 for Denver.
WASHINGTON — Khris Middleton scored a career-high 29 points and Brandon Knight added 20 as Milwaukee outlasted Washington in overtime.
John Henson had 19 points and 17 rebounds for the Bucks (4-15), who had lost 13 of their previous 14.
John Wall scored 30 points and Trevor Ariza added 22 points and 12 rebounds for Washington.
With the score tied at 102 heading to the extra period, Hensen’s jumper put the Bucks ahead in the opening minute and Ersan Ilyasova layup made it 106-102 with 3:12 to go.
Ariza was fouled and made three free throws with 42.8 seconds left to pull the Wizards within one. Knight answered with a jumper with 21.1 seconds left and added a free throw 12 seconds later to seal the win.
NEW ORLEANS — Kevin Durant scored 29 points, Russell Westbrook added 25 and Oklahoma City beat New Orleans for the ninth straight time.
Serge Ibaka added 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who have won 14 of their last 15 against the Pelicans, with most of those games occurring when the team was called the Hornets.
Ryan Anderson scored 18 for the Pelicans, who lost their second straight at home while playing their third full game without power forward Anthony Davis, sidelined by a broken left hand. New Orleans also lost Tyreke Evans to a left ankle sprain late in the third quarter.
HOUSTON — James Harden scored 34 points and Dwight Howard had 22 points and 18 rebounds to lead Houston.
Terrence Jones added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who had lost two straight. Harden shot 13 for 22 from the field and 7 for 9 on free throws two nights after shooting 3 for 17 — including 0 for 10 on 3-pointers — against Phoenix.
Howard was 12 for 20 on free throws as the Rockets finished 25 for 39 from the line.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 22 points and five assists, but was just 5 of 14 from the field while making all 11 free-throw attempts. Harrison Barnes had 14 points and seven rebounds, and Kent Bazemore added 12 and David Lee 11 points as the Warriors saw their two-game win streak end.
PHOENIX — Markieff Morris made his first 11 shots en route to a 25-point performance and Phoenix handed Toronto its fifth straight loss.
Morris, who also grabbed 11 rebounds, finished 11 of 14 from the field, tying his career high in field goals made. His scoring total was three shy of his career best.
Eric Bledsoe added 19 points, including 3 of 3 on 3-pointers, and P.J. Tucker had 18 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for the Suns.
Amir Johnson scored a season-best 22 for the Raptors. Kyle Lowry added 19 and Rudy Gay 17.
The Raptors lost Tyler Hansbrough with a sprained left shoulder in the first quarter.