Day: April 18, 2013

Bobcats finish above Magic in final standings

Combine the Charlotte Bobcats’ 105-98 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers with the Orlando Magic’s loss to the Miami Heat, and the Bobcats top the Magic by a game in the standings.

Small potatoes, maybe. But after going 7-59 last season – worst record in NBA history – 21-61 felt OK Wednesday night.

“Absolutely we wanted to avoid that worst record. It was definitely one of our small goals down the stretch,” said Bobcats co-captain Gerald Henderson (15 points and six assists). “Obviously things didn’t go as well as we hoped, but we played hard.”

“Coming down the stretch, we played as pros.”

True enough. They won six of their last 15, and in doing so might have saved their rookie coach’s job. Nothing has been decided one way or the other, but the relatively strong finish spruces up Dunlap’s short-term resume a bit.

— Reported by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer

Stephen Curry sets new NBA single-season three-point record

stephen curry

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has established a new NBA single-season three-point record with 272 three-pointers made, surpassing the previous record of 269 set by Ray Allen for the Seattle SuperSonics in 2005-06.  Curry established the new mark in tonight’s regular-season finale at Portland, connecting on 4-of-11 attempts in a 99-88 Warriors victory over the Trail Blazers. He entered the contest needing one three-pointer to tie, and two to surpass, the previous record. Curry broke Allen’s record despite attempting 53 less three-pointers than Allen did in 2005-06.

Curry, 25, not only led the NBA in three-pointers made in 2012-13, but also finished third in three-point field goal percentage by connecting on 272-of-600 (.453) attempts from long range. The 6-3 guard is the first player in NBA history to hit 250 three-pointers and dish out 500 assists in a single season and is the second player in league history to hit 200-or-more threes in a season on 45 percent-or-better, joining Glen Rice, who did so in 1995-96.

Overall, Curry averaged career highs of 22.9 points (7th in NBA) and 6.9 assists (T-15th) to go with 4.0 rebounds, 1.62 steals and 38.2 minutes (7th) in 78 games during the regular season.

Earlier this season, Curry announced that for every three-pointer made he would donate three life-saving bed nets to the United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign, which distributes insecticide-treated mosquito nets to protect families across Africa from malaria.  A committed champion of Nothing But Nets since his time at Davidson, Curry’s record-setting season translates to 816 bed nets that will help hundreds families sleep safe from infection.