Orlando reserve Jeremy Richardson had appeared in just two games all season before the Magic’s Tuesday night matchup with Sacramento, and he had made just one three-point field goal in 24 minutes of action.

When Richardson dropped his second three-pointer of the season with 2:20 remaining in Orlando’s 139-107 victory over the Kings, the Magic had tallied 23 three-pointers to set the all-time record for a single game.

It was Richardson’s only basket of the game, but he had plenty of help in the three-point field-goal department.

Orlando’s 3-Pointers vs. Sacramento, 1/13/09

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3PM-3PA
Jameer Nelson. . . . . . . . .5-5
Keith Bogans*. . . . . . . . . 4-6
J.J. Redick*. . . . . . . . . . .4-7
Rashard Lewis. . . . . . . . . 3-5
Hedo Turkoglu. . . . . . . . .3-5
Courtney Lee. . . . . . . . . 1-1
Brian Cook*. . . . . . . . . . .1-1
Jeremy Richardson*. . . . . 1-2
Anthony Johnson*. . . . . . 1-4

*coming off bench

Eleven of the 23 three-pointers came from bench players, with reserves Keith Bogans and J.J. Redick leading the way with four threes each. Starting PG Jameer Nelson was perfect in five three-point attempts.

The Magic surpassed the old single-game mark of 21 three-pointers by the Toronto Raptors, set on March 13, 2005. It marked only the fourth time that a team has recorded 20 or more three-pointers in a game since the three-point shot was added in 1979.

Teams with Most 3-Pointers in a Game, All-Time

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Date. . . . 3s. . . . . . . . Result
Orlando Magic. . . . . .1/13/09. . . 23. . . .139-107 W over Sac
Toronto Raptors. . . . .3/13/05. . .21. . . .128-110 W over Phi
Phoenix Suns. . . . . . .4/17/06. . . 20. . . .115-78 W over NOK
Phoenix Suns. . . . . . .1/07/08. . . 20. . . .137-115 W over Den

The 31-8 Magic are a big threat from the perimeter because Dwight Howard is such a dominant force inside. They lead the NBA with 407 three-pointers and rank second behind San Antonio in three-point percentage at 40.1 percent.

Despite spending the entire fourth quarter on the bench Tuesday night, Howard had 25 points and 15 rebounds in helping Orlando win its fifth straight game. Howard’s contribution wasn’t lost on Nelson, who ranks third in three-point percentage (45.8) among the 50 players who have made 50 threes.

“Everyone is going to have trouble guarding the three against us because Dwight is so tough to stop in the middle,” Nelson said Tuesday after the Magic set the record.