Jeremy Lin had another solid game for the Los Angeles Lakers, but they failed to register a victory anew as the Charlotte Hornets escaped with a 104-103 victory on Tuesday night at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Lin erupted for 23 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field, including three three-pointers. The fifth-year guard also racked up eight assists, six rebounds and two steals, but the Lakers failed to score their 16th win of the season.
Mo Williams torched the Lakers as he finished with 20 points and 13 assists for the Hornets, while Al Jefferson posted 21 points and 16 rebounds.
Gerald Henderson added 21 points to go along with five assists and three steals for the Hornets, who are now tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference with their 25-33 record.
On the other hand, the Lakers remained in 14th place in the Western Conference standings. They are just three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling and 13-46 Minnesota Timberwolves, but Lin's recent performances have been encouraging the team as of late.
Lin, who will become an unrestricted free agent after the current season, has been hitting strides recently after being inconsistent earlier in the season.
In their last five games, the 26-year-old point guard has averaged 18.0 points to go along with 6.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. It did not go unnoticed as Lakers coach Byron Scott praised Lin for his recent performances, which helped them win in three of their last five outings.
"I am really happy with the way he's starting to show that consistent effort for every single night," Scott said of Lin on Sunday night via OC Register. "He's playing the way I think he's capable of playing."
In their 108-101 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, Lin stuffed the stat sheet as he finished with 20 points to go along with eight assists, six rebounds and three steals.
According to Scott, Lin is just letting the game come to him in their recent matches instead of forcing things up, which, for him, was the main reason why the former Harvard University standout struggled early in the season.
"He's not thinking as much," Scott said. "He's just going out there and playing. He's running the offense and doing things we're asking him to do. But he's also doing it without thinking and just reacting."
Lin, who lost his starting spot to Ronnie Price earlier in the season because of his inconsistencies, could return to the starting lineup as previously stated by Scott, especially after having another impressive all-around performance.
More highlights are available on this link from NBA.com.
