Cavs' 3 spree sets NBA record in 135-130 win
ATLANTA -- Kyrie Irving and LeBron James combined for 81 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers set an NBA record for 3-point baskets in beating the Atlanta Hawks 135-130 on Friday night at Philips Arena.
Irving made five 3-pointers and scored 43 points. James had six 3-pointers and scored 38.
Cleveland finished with 25 3-pointers to set a regular-season record.
The record-setting trey was made by former Hawks player Kyle Korver with 1:17 left. Not only did it break the regular-season record, it also enabled the Cavaliers to withstand a furious Atlanta rally.
Cleveland led by as many as 25 points in the second half, but Atlanta cut the margin to one point on a bucket by Paul Millsap with 1:32 remaining. Korver then quelled the comeback by leaning in for his third 3-pointer of the night.
Atlanta (34-26) was led by Tim Hardaway Jr., who came off the bench to score a season-high 36 points -- including five 3-pointers -- and Paul Millsap, who had 27 points and 10 rebounds. Dwight Howard added 15 points and 10 rebounds for his 40th double-double of the season.
Cleveland (42-18) also got 11 points apiece from Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson. James added 13 rebounds and eight assists, falling just short of his second consecutive triple-double. Irving had nine assists.
The Cavaliers shots 65.2 percent from the field in the first half and made 14 of 23 3-pointers to take a 77-60 lead. Irving and James each made three 3-point shots, with Irving scoring 23 and James getting 22 in the first half.
Irving's trey with 2:54 left gave Cleveland a 17-point lead for the first time at 69-52.
It was the most points allowed by the Hawks in a half but four short of a season high for points in the first half scored by the Cavs. Atlanta shot 55.6 percent in the first half.
NOTES: LeBron James was named NBA Player of the Month in February for the sixth straight season. ... Inactive for Atlanta was G Mike Dunleavy (right ankle soreness). Inactive for Cleveland were F Kevin Love (left knee), G J.R. Smith (right thumb fracture) and G Kay Felder. C Andrew Bogut, who signed with the Cavaliers on Wednesday, was not present. He is expected to join the team in Miami. ... Former Hawks F Kyle Korver was honored with a video tribute upon his return to Atlanta and received a standing ovation. ... The Hawks retired the No. 44 jersey worn by Peter Maravich in a halftime ceremony. He was the team's first-round pick (No. 3 overall) in the 1970 NBA draft and averaged 24.2 points in four seasons with the team. Maravich went on to play for the New Orleans, Utah and Boston and was named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. He died in 1988. ... Atlanta will host Indiana on Sunday, the third of six consecutive home games. The Cavaliers complete a three-game road trip on Saturday at Miami.