Magic make NBA-record 23 3-pointers to rout Kings
Fittingly, Superman played a role in the most powerful performance in the NBA this season.
Dwight Howard had 25 points and 15 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic made an NBA-record 23 3-pointers Tuesday night in a 139-107 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
On big nights around the NBA from LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal -- plus a 44-point effort from Dirk Nowitzki in a loss -- it was the surging Magic who put on the most impressive show.
The Magic made 23 of 37 attempts (62 percent) in breaking the old mark of 21, set by Toronto on March 13, 2005, against Philadelphia. Orlando rang up the highest point total in the league this season and its best since scoring 152 at Milwaukee on Feb. 20, 1995.
The Magic still found time to feed Howard, their All-Star center who donned a Superman cape last year while winning the slam dunk contest. He was 8-of-10 from the floor and 9-of-11 from the free throw line.
"No disrespect to the other team, but we're excited about getting the record, an NBA record," guard Jameer Nelson said. "Everyone is going to have trouble guarding the 3 against us because Dwight is so tough to stop in the middle."
In other NBA games Tuesday, it was: Charlotte 80, Detroit 78; Miami 99, Minnesota 96; Cleveland 102, Memphis 87; the Los Angeles Lakers 105, Houston 100; Denver 99, Dallas 97; and Phoenix 107, Atlanta 102.
At Sacramento, Calif., Nelson was 5-of-5 from behind the arc, Keith Bogans and J.J. Redick each hit four, and Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu made three apiece. Even seldom-used Jeremy Richardson made one, hitting the record-setter with 2:20 left in the fourth quarter.
"I knew it was close to a record, but I really didn't know, I just took the shot," Richardson said in a jovial Orlando locker room. "It was a great record for the team, I was just happy to play and be a part of it."
Howard spent the entire fourth quarter on the bench after helping Orlando win its fifth straight game and improve to an NBA-best 15-5 on the road. The Magic are 16-4 against the Western Conference and continue a four-game road trip Friday against the Lakers.
Sacramento lost its 12th in 14 games and allowed the Magic to go 13-of-19 from 3-point range and score 75 points in the first half.
"We won't come out like that again," said Kevin Martin, who scored 30 points. "It's time to make people accountable because that was just embarrassing to me. We are a joke right now, that's how people look at us. They just keep launching 3s away. You should be pretty angry about that."