Having lost six of their last eight games coming into Thursday’s contest against the Charlotte Hornets, the Los Angeles Lakers not only needed a win, but they also needed a powerful blowout win.
They received exactly that against a Hornets team that entered the contest with an eight-game losing streak and a dismal 7-21 record.
Early on, it looked like an upset wasn’t out of the question. The Lakers looked sluggish in the first quarter and trailed by as many as nine points. However, they clawed their way into the contest, and Charlotte wasn’t able to respond.
After leading 58-57 at halftime, L.A. methodically took control in the third quarter by outscoring the Hornets, 41-23. Without LaMelo Ball, their best player, the Hornets just didn’t have the firepower to mount any type of run, and the Purple and Gold gained a much-needed 133-112 victory.
The Lakers had seven players score in double figures, including four players off their bench. They shot 53.6% from the field and 50% from 3-point range, and they had a whopping 41 assists as they kept the ball moving throughout the evening. Defensively, they forced 19 turnovers, which helped create 20 fast-break points for them.
Los Angeles has a difficult set of back-to-back road games this weekend versus the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans before it can enjoy a large number of home games through late March.