Record-setting Korver leads Hawks to win over Clippers
Kyle Korver was just ready to get out of the house and return to what he does best — shoot three-pointers.
Missing four games with a rib injury caused Korver to delay his quest of tying the NBA record for consecutive games with a three.
“I’m glad it’s done,” he said. “It was a long period of time. I think the happiest person was probably my wife. I was just not fun to be around the last five days at the house.”
Korver scored a season-high 23 points and tied the NBA record for consecutive games with a three- pointer in the Atlanta Hawks’ 107-97 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
Paul Millsap finished with 25 points and Al Horford added 21 to help the Hawks snap a two-game losing streak.
Blake Griffin scored 24 points and Chris Paul had 19 points and 11 assists as the Clippers lost their second straight.
Korver tied Dana Barros’ 18-year-old record by hitting a three- pointer in his 89th straight game. Barros set the mark during stints with Philadelphia and Boston from Dec 23, 1994, to Jan 10, 1996.
Korver began his streak last season in Atlanta’s second game — a win at Oklahoma City. On Wednesday, he made his first attempt in the first minute and finished 6 for 9 beyond the arc.
“The first play of the game, Korver got a 3, and that was indicative of our defense all night,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “We had chances to get back in the game.”
With 5:06 remaining, Korver drew a foul from Paul as he hit a 3 from the right corner and finished the four-point play to make it 96-83.
A little more than a minute later, Horford fed Korver on the left wing for a 3 that gave the Hawks a 99-88 lead.
“We are all just happy to see Kyle healthy,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He’s a heck of a shooter and he showed that tonight.”
For Korver, Atlanta’s next game — Friday at home against Cleveland — will decide if he passes Barros and takes the top spot in the NBA record book.
“It really is a team streak,” Korver said. “I’m not out there creating those shots. I don’t want to make a speech, but there are a lot of people to thank.”
Rivers pulled his top four starters and sixth man Jamal Crawford after DeMarre Carroll’s two free throws made it 103-88 with 2:54 remaining.
Los Angeles was beginning a seven-game road trip and has battled several injuries early in the season.
Willie Green scored nine points while starting his second straight game in place of J.J. Redick, who could miss six to eight weeks with a broken bone in his right hand and torn ligaments in his right wrist.
Redick averaged 15.8 points in 17 games, tied with Crawford for the team’s third-best average behind Griffin and Paul.
Paul, playing his second straight game with a strained right hamstring, combined with Crawford and starting forward Jared Dudley to go one for 12 on three-point attempts.
Despite finishing with his 16th double- double in 18 games this season, Paul was disappointed in his team’s defense.
“We have got to stop talking about it and we have got to figure out how were going to stop teams,” Paul said. “I am surprised because we know what to do. That’s the tough part about it. It’s not on the coaches, it’s on us in the locker room.”