Cavs earn historic win vs. Hornets
CLEVELAND -- Channing Frye made five of the Cleveland Cavaliers 14 3-pointers in their 100-93 win Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets, making them the first team in history to make at least 10 3-pointers in each of their first nine games.
Frye scored 20 points off the bench and LeBron James scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds and passed for eight assists. James' 3-pointer in the final minute extended the Cavs' lead to nine and handed the Hornets their second straight loss.
Kyrie Irving scored 19 points, while Kevin Love scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Cavs. Iman Shumpert scored 15 points off the bench.
Kemba Walker scored 21 points for the Hornets, extending his streak to eight straight with at least 20 points. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned from a strained back to score 11 points and grab 10 rebounds. After starting the year 6-1, the Hornets have lost their last two games to the Raptors and Cavs -- the two teams considered the best in the East after meeting in the conference finals last season.
The Hornets led 72-71 entering the fourth when Shumpert and Frye made 3-pointers to give the Cavs the lead. Frye's second 3-pointer of the fourth extended the lead to 89-80 with 5:43 to play and followed it up with a mid-range jumper to push the lead to double figures. Eleven of Frye's 20 points came in the fourth quarter.
The Cavs broke the 3-point shooting record set by the Houston Rockets, who made at least 10 3-pointers in their first eight games to open the 2014-15 season. The Cavs began the day ranked second in the league in 3-pointers made, averaging 13.1 per game.
NOTES: Cavs G J.R. Smith missed the game with a sore right ankle, which he injured in Saturday's win at Washington. The injury isn't considered serious. Mike Dunleavy started in his place. ... Smith is three 3-pointers shy of passing Dirk Nowitzki (1,705) for 15th place on the NBA's career 3-pointers list. ... Cleveland SF Richard Jefferson began the day two baskets shy of 5,000 field goals for his career. ... Hornets G Jeremy Lamb could return to the lineup Friday when the Hornets host Atlanta. Lamb missed the last six games with a strained left hamstring. ... Charlotte C Roy Hibbert is battling soreness in his right knee and is expected to have his minutes limited for the next few games.