Hornets tie franchise record with 26 3s, crush Kings

Charlotte matched a franchise record by making 26 3-pointers, including Coby White’s 6-for-8 performance off the bench, and the red-hot Hornets blasted the visiting Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, 134-90.

Charlotte (38-34) earned its fourth consecutive win — all of which have come by double digits — and the 12th victory in the last 15 games behind its long-range barrage.

White, who led all scorers with 27 points, was one of eight Hornets to hit at least one 3-pointer. Seven made multiple triples, including LaMelo Ball, who went 6-of-13 from deep on his way to 20 points.

Ball also dished eight assists and grabbed six rebounds. He buried a pair of 3-pointers in an eight-point first quarter, as the Hornets set the tone with a nine-point lead through the period.

They blew the game open in the second quarter with runs of 14-4 and 15-3, the latter sending the Hornets into halftime with a 25-point lead.

Brandon Miller scored five straight points during the burst, part of his 13 points for the game.

Sacramento (19-54), opening a five-game Eastern Conference road swing with Tuesday’s contest, mustered just 37-of-91 shooting from the floor. The 90 points equalled the Kings’ second-lowest performance of the season.

Three Kings starters managed only seven points or fewer, while Devin Carter’s 18 points led the corps.

Sacramento reserve Daeqwon Plowden scored a career-high 20 points, seeing more than 36 minutes of playing time. Both teams’ benches saw extensive minutes with Charlotte controlling nearly throughout.

Dylan Cardwell collected 11 rebounds off the Sacramento bench, while Charlotte backups Sion James, Liam McNeeley, Tre Mann and Ryan Kalkbrenner combined to score 27 points.

Hornets starter Kon Knueppel scored 14 points in a little more than 20 minutes played, and Charlotte big man Moussa Diabate posted a double-double with 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting and 11 rebounds.