HORNETS POST 61-POINT ROUT
Hornets carves out historic win vs slumping Grizzlies
WASHINGTON— Kemba Walker scored 46 points Thursday in leading the Charlotte Hornets to a record-shattering 140-79 romp over visiting Memphis, one of the most lopsided routs in NBA history.
The 61-point victory margin was the largest in any NBA game since 1998 and marked only the sixth time in league history a team won by 60 or more points.
“It was fun. The crowd was into it. It was good to be a part of something like that,” Charlotte guard Jeremy Lamb said. “It feels really good.”
Walker sank a club-record 10 3-pointers and made 10 free throws, becoming only the third player in any NBA contest with so many of each.
“I would have never imagined [ making 10 3-pointers],” Walker said. “I never thought I’d be able to shoot the ball like that, especially in one individual game.”
Walker’s total came in only 28 minutes, the shortest span to reach 45 points since the NBA shot clock debuted in 1954.
The Hornets, who led 75-42 at half-time and 112-57 entering the fourth quarter, won their most lopsided triumph and inflicted the worst lost ever upon the Grizzlies, who have lost 22 of their past 23 games.
Elsewhere, Eric Gordon scored 22 points while NBA scoring leader James Harden had only 21 points—10 below his average—on 4-of-20 shooting but the Houston Rockets still managed to beat visiting Detroit, 100-96, in overtime for their seventh consecutive victory.
The Rockets moved 4 1/2 games ahead of defending champion Golden State for the NBA’s best record.
Anthony Davis scored 33 points to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to their third victory in as many nights, 128-125, over the Los Angeles Lakers.