Hornets tie franchise record with 26 3s, rout Kings 134-90

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Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) shoots over Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White (3) looks to shoot against Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond) — Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) shoots over Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

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9:23 PM on Tuesday, March 24

By STEVE REED

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Coby White made six of Charlotte’s franchise-tying 26 3-pointers and finished with 27 points as the Hornets routed the Sacramento Kings 134-90 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight win.

LaMelo Ball had 20 points on six 3s and Moussa Diabate added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets (38-34), who pulled within two games of the Atlanta Hawks for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Daeqwon Plowden had 22 points and ex-Hornet Malik Monk had a career-high 14 assists for the Kings (19-54).

Kon Knueppel added four 3s for the Hornets as the rookie from Duke moved into second place in franchise history for 3s made in a season with 247. He needs 14 to pass Kemba Walker, now a player enhancement coach with the Hornets.

The 26 3-pointers matched the franchise record set on March 14, 2025, at San Antonio.

Charlotte raced to a 72-47 lead at halftime, shooting 13 of 29 from beyond the arc with Ball and White leading the way with four each at the midway point.

Charlotte pushed its lead to 46 early in the fourth quarter.

Ball, who has been on a heater of late, set the tone early by showing off his full bag of tricks — shooting 3s off one foot, throwing no-look dimes and outleaping opponents for rebounds, seemingly toying with the Kings at times.

The Hornets had a chance to break the franchise record for 3s in a game in the final 3 but rookie center Ryan Kalbrenner — who rarely shoots from deep — badly missed from the corner.

The Kings offered little in the way of defensive resistance as the Hornets shot 51% and held a 57-35 edge on the glass.

Up next

Kings: At Orlando on Thursday night.

Hornets: Host New York Knicks on Thursday night.

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