Lakers 107, Hornets 92
Lakers 107 Hornets 92: Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin scored 21 points apiece as host Los Angeles avoided an 0-6 start with the win against Charlotte.
Carlos Boozer added 16 points and Jordan Hill finished with 12 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Lakers. Ed Davis led the reserves with 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting.
Al Jefferson produced 23 points and eight rebounds to lead the Hornets. Kemba Walker contributed 17 points and Gary Neal scored 14 off the bench for the Hornets.
The Lakers were staring at a nine-point deficit coming out of the half but moved ahead for the first time and eventually stretched their lead to 67-59 with a 14-0 third-quarter run, highlighted by eight straight points from Boozer. The Hornets couldn’t get any closer than eight in the final quarter and the Lakers put them away with a 13-6 run that gave them a 94-79 lead with 4:39 remaining.
The Hornets led by as many as nine early in the second quarter before the Lakers cut the deficit to one. Charlotte ended the first half with a 7-2 burst and took a 51-42 lead into the break.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Davis is shooting 27-for-38 on the season for the Lakers. … Charlotte G Lance Stephenson, who banked in a 3-point shot at the buzzer to beat the Hawks in double overtime Friday, was 3-for-12 from the floor with six points, five assists and 10 rebounds. … Charlotte G Gerald Henderson, the team’s third-leading scorer last season who was not called upon to play in the win against the Hawks, entered the game for the first time with 2:41 left and the Hornets trailing by 17.