Blazers rout Hawks 102-78; Korver’s streak ends
Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver shoots against Detroit Pistons guard Kyle Singler (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, in Auburn Hills, Mich. AP/Duane Burleson
PORTLAND, Oregon — Nicolas Batum of France had 14 points and a career-high 18 rebounds Wednesday as the Portland Trail Blazers downed Atlanta 102-78, a loss that marked the end of Hawks guard Kyle Korver’s NBA-record streak of 127 games with a 3-pointer.
Korver had surpassed Dana Barros’ record of 89 straight, set from 1994-96, earlier this season.
He was 0 for 5 from 3-point range against the Blazers.
Mo Williams added 15 points off the bench for Portland, which had six players in double figures.
Cartier Martin had 16 points off the bench for the Hawks, who have lost four straight and 12 of their last 13 as they fight to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Charlotte’s Al Jefferson scored 34 points in a 109-87 victory over the Indiana Pacers that gave the Bobcats their fifth straight home win.
Jefferson was 16 of 25 from the field and had eight rebounds for the Bobcats (28-33), who equaled their combined win total from the previous two seasons.
Jefferson, whose 38-point, 19-rebound effort Monday night was overshadowed by LeBron James’ career-high 61-point outing, has scored at least 20 points in 21 of his last 24 games.
Evan Turner had 22 points for the, who lost back-to-back games for only the second time this season.
At Orlando, Florida, James Harden scored 31 points, including 25 in the second half, as the Houston Rockets came back from a double-digit, first-half deficit to beat the Magic 101-89.
Dwight Howard added 19 points and 14 rebounds in his second trip to Orlando to face his former team.
Houston trailed in the second quarter by as many as 14 points, but battled back to win for the 13th time in 15 outings.
Arron Afflalo led the Magic with 18 points.
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics 108-88 after Klay Thompson and David Lee scored 18 points each.
Former Celtic Jordan Crawford had 15 points and Stephen Curry added 14 for the Warriors who won for the seventh time in nine games.
Kelly Olynyk scored 19 points for Boston, which dropped its seventh game in its past eight.
Trevor Ariza scored 26 points for Washington and Bradley Beal added 22 as the Wizards took an early lead and never lost it in a 104-91 win over the Utah Jazz.
Brooklyn’s Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Marcus Thornton came off the bench for 20 as the Nets powered their way above .500 for the first time this season by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 103-94.
In other games, the Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons 105-94, the New York Knicks defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 118-106, the Sacramento Kings downed the Milwaukee Bucks 116-102 and the Denver Nuggets were 115-110 winners over the Dallas Mavericks.
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