Kemba Becomes Hornets All-Time Leading Scorer

By Matt Rochinski, hornets.com

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Result
The Charlotte Hornets have a new all-time scoring leader. His name is Kemba Walker. It’s a name that may be written in the Charlotte history books for quite some time. Walker finished with a team-high 21 points and broke Dell Curry’s 26-year-old franchise record with 18.9 seconds remaining in the contest when he drove past London Perrantes down the left side and was able to convert the reverse layup with his right hand over Ante Zizic. Walker now sits at 9,841 points and counting as he begins his chase for 10,000. Unfortunately for the Hornets, Cleveland put an end to Charlotte’s four-game winning streak with a 118-105 victory at Spectrum Center.

Turning Point
The Hornets kept things close for the majority of the first half and were tied, 49-49, with 4:19 remaining in the second quarter following Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s jumper. But things began to unravel for Charlotte at the 4:00 mark as they would not connect on a field goal the rest of the half (0-of-6) and did not force a turnover on the defensive end. The Hornets did hit 5-of-6 free throws in the stretch, but it wasn’t enough as the Cavs caught fire. Cleveland hit on 5-of-8 shots from the field, including 3-of-5 from long range as they outscored Charlotte, 15-5, led by eight points from LeBron James, and built a 64-54 halftime lead. The Hornets continued to fight back in the second half but could only get the game to a single-digit deficit with 4:43 remaining in the final frame, and only for one possession as the Cavs pulled away late.

Hornets Player of the Game (Pick up your Kemba Walker gear here)
It’s a no-brainer that we go with Kemba Walker here. He scored a team-high 21 points and set a new franchise scoring record with 9,841 career points, passing Dell Curry (9,839). Walker went 7-of-18 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. His first free throw was his 44th consecutive made free throw, a new franchise record for such a streak (prev: 43 straight, done multiple times). His streak now stands at 48 straight free-throws. Walker brought his career total to 1,999 with the same shot, setting a new franchise record for made free throws (previous: Gerald Wallace, 1,998). He now has 2,003 in his career and becomes the first Charlotte player to reach 2,000.

Cavaliers Player of the Game
LeBron James led Cleveland with a game-high 41 points on 14-of-26 shooting from the field, including 4-of-8 from outside the arc, and knocked down 9-of-11 free throws. He added 10 rebounds to complete the double-double while dishing out eight assists and swiping one steal.

Game Notes
Dwight Howard finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and one block to record his 47th double-double of the season. Howard now has 2,038 career blocks, moving him past Kevin Garnett (2,037) and into 17th place on the NBA’s all-time blocks leaderboard… Jeremy Lamb scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. Lamb has 88 made three-point field goals this season, tying his career high of threes made in a single season (88 in 2013-14 with OKC)… The Hornets bench outscored the Cavaliers reserves, 42-35, led by 16 points from Frank Kaminsky on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting from the field… Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (11 points) also finished scoring in double digits for the Hornets… Charlotte led Cleveland in second chance points, 15-14, and points in the paint, 48-44.

Quote of the Night
“I’m really happy for Kemba. Becoming a franchise’s all-time leading scorer is a big accomplishment and it’s a testament to his hard work, dedication and passion for the game of basketball. He exemplifies what it means to be a Hornet. His effort, leadership and commitment to our team and the City of Charlotte is second to none. I’m proud to have him on our team. Congratulations, Kemba!” – Hornets Chairman Michael Jordan

Next Up<br
Charlotte heads to Washington for a 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday against the Wizards. The game can be seen on FOX Sports Southeast or heard on WFNZ or on the official Charlotte Hornets mobile app.