Hawks become first to rack up 50 wins
ATLANTA — Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll each scored 20 points as the Atlanta Hawks bounced back from a rare loss by becoming the first NBA team to 50 wins, scoring a season high in routing the Sacramento Kings 130-105 Monday night.
Their distinction as the lone team with 50 wins ended a couple hours later, when Golden State won its 50th.
Resting three starters, the East-leading Hawks (50-13) were beaten by the lowly 76ers over the weekend to snap a six-game winning streak. Korver didn't even make the trip to Philadelphia, the Hawks hoping the rest would help snap him out of a shooting slump since the All-Star break.
Boy, did it ever. Korver went 6 of 8 from 3-point range. The Hawks set a franchise record by going 20 of 36 beyond the arc, breaking the mark of 19 set against Dallas on Dec. 17, 1996.
The Hawks led 76-54 at the break — their most prolific half of the season. They finished with 42 assists, best in the NBA this season. Jeff Teague led the way with 13.
Rudy Gay scored 23 points as the Kings lost their fourth in a row.
PELICANS 114, BUCKS 103: At Milwaukee, Anthony Davis scored 43 points, tying a career high and helping New Orleans pull away to beat Milwaukee.
Eric Gordon added 16 and Tyreke Evans had 13 before leaving the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. The Pelicans shot 59 percent for the game and 60 percent from 3-point range.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a career-high 29 points for the Bucks, who have lost seven of nine.
GRIZZLIES 101, BULLS 91: At Chicago, Marc Gasol scored 23 points to lead Memphis past his brother Pau and Chicago.
Gasol was 10 of 16 from the field for the Grizzlies, who moved to two games ahead of idle Houston for the Southwest Division lead.
Jeff Green had 19 and Zach Randolph added 16 for the Grizzlies, who held the Bulls to 43.8 percent shooting from the field and improved to 21-11 on the road.
WIZARDS 95, HORNETS 69: At Charlotte, N.C., Marcin Gortat scored 20 points and Washington rolled past Charlotte.
John Wall added 15 points and nine assists, Bradley Beal had 14 points and Kevin Seraphin scored 12 for the Wizards, who snapped a nine-game road losing streak.
CELTICS 100, HEAT 90: At Miami, Isaiah Thomas scored 25 points in another strong game off the bench, Brandon Bass added 14 and Boston beat Miami.
Luigi Datome scored 13 for the Celtics, and Kelly Olynyk finished with 10.
Dwyane Wade scored 34 points for the Heat, who got 14 from Michael Beasley and 12 from Mario Chalmers.
WARRIORS 98, SUNS 80: At Phoenix, Stephen Curry scored 25 of his 36 points in the second half and Golden State beat Phoenix for its 50th victory of the season.
Klay Thompson added 25 for the Warriors, who at 50-12 have the NBA's best record, a half-game better than Atlanta.
Curry made 7 of 13 3-pointers, 6 of 8 in the second half, in his 13th 30-point game of the season.
CLIPPERS 89, TIMBERWOLVES 76: At Los Angeles, J.J. Redick scored 26 points, DeAndre Jordan had 20 points and 17 rebounds, and injury-depleted Los Angeles snapped a two-game skid.
Austin Rivers scored 13 points as the Clippers, despite the absences of Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford, bounced back one day after a road loss to Pacific Division-leading Golden State.
NUGGETS 106, KNICKS 78: At Denver, Kenneth Faried had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Denver routed New York.
Wilson Chandler and Will Barton scored 17 points apiece for the Nuggets, who enjoyed their second-largest margin in a win this season.