For the most part, Joe Dumars didn't venture within 22 feet of the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Instead, he stayed outside the shortened 3-point arc and tossed up jumpers. There were 18 in all, and Dumars tied an NBA record by making 10 of them Tuesday night. He finished with 40 points as the Detroit Pistons beat the Timberwolves 126-112.Dumars tied an the NBA record set by Brian Shaw, then of Miami, on April 3 1993. He attempted only one field goal from inside the circle - his first shot of the game - and missed it. He also made all 10 of his free throws.
"They weren't pressuring me outside, so I didn't need to take it in. I didn't even know that I took a 2-point shot," he said.
Only one other player had made 10 3-pointers in a game - Les Selvage of the Anaheim Amigos of the old ABA. Three players have made nine 3-pointers in an NBA game, all from behind the old arc, which extended as far as 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket.
"I look for this record to stand about a week with guys like Reggie Mille out here," Dumars said.
"With the guys we have in this league, it's probably too short," Detroit coach Don Chaney said.
In other games Tuesday, Houston beat Cleveland 100-98, New York defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 117-113, Denver outscored Dallas 115-107 and Golden state beat Miami 121-114.
Dumars, a 9-year veteran who remains one of the league's best pure shooters, had made only one of eight 3-pointers in Detroit's first two games - both losses.
"The first couple of games, I was looking for the 3-point line. Now I have a good feel for where it is," he said.
When it became clear that Dumars was trying to set a new record, Minnesota's defenders gave a little extra effort. Dumars then missed five of his last six attempts.
"It was obvious to everyone that I wanted to get that 11th one," Dumars said. "Minnesota knew it, too. That is why I knew it was going to be hard to get."
As a team, the Pistons shot 67 percent, led by rookie Grant Hill's 10-for-11 performance. He had 22 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Mark Macon added 14 points and was 5-for-5 from the field.
Christian Laettner led visiting Minnesota with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Isaiah Rider had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Rockets 100, Cavaliers 98
At the first regular-season game at new Gund Arena in Cleveland, Hakeem Olajuwon sank the winning shot with 3.1 seconds left, a short fallaway jumper from the baseline over Hot Rod Williams.
"I don't think anybody in the world stops Hakeem on a shot like that," Williams said. "You try to play good defense and just hope he misses."
Cleveland had a chance to win, but Mark Price missed an off-balance 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer.
Olajuwon became the leading scorer in Rockets history, surpassing Calvin Murphy's 17,949 points.
"To pass somebody like Calvin Murphy, a Hall of Famer, is an accomplishment - and also to play with one team that long," Olajuwon said. "It's a great accomplishment. I'd like to get more so the next guy who comes around will have to work for it."
Olajuwon scored 21 points with 12 rebounds, seven blocks and six assists. Terrell Brandon had 19 and Chris Mills 18 for Cleveland.
Knicks 117, Lakers 113
At New York, the Knicks tried to run with the younger Lakers in the first half and fell behind by 20 points. Then they went back to a more deliberate style and made 15 of 18 shots in the decisive third quarter.
Patrick Ewing led New York with 24 points. John Starks, who signed a 3-year, $13.1 million contract extension earlier in the day, had 23 points, 15 in the third quarter.
Nick Van Exel had 26 points and Cedric Ceballos 22 for Los Angeles.
Nuggets 115, Mavericks 107
At Dallas, Dikembe Mutombo had a triple-double - 12 points, 14 rebounds and 11 blocked shots - and Rodney Rogers scored a career-high 28 points.
The score was 80-80 after three periods, and the Nuggets then outscored the Mavs 31-18 to pull away.
Reggie Williams had 17 points, Bryant Stith 16 and rookie Jalen Rose 14. Jim Jackson of Dallas matched his career-high with 37 points.
Warriors 121, Heat 114
At Oakland, Calif., Latrell Sprewell scored 13 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and Golden State won its third straight.
Glen Rice scored 31 points for the Heat. Kevin Willis, acquired from Atlanta a day earlier, had 24 points and 12 rebounds.