The Lakers' seven-game road trip ended in a strange way, the beaten up Lakers the team much closer to being considered “healthy” in their Tuesday game against the Hornets in Charlotte, N.C.
Charlotte was without Gordon Hayward, LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and P.J. Washington, four members of their typical starting lineup. But the Lakers should’ve known what was to come — that the undermanned, under-talented team can fight their way to the edge of a victory.
The Lakers have done it themselves — even on this trip. But as the Hornets pushed late, creeping within one, big shots and big stops helped the Lakers close out the win, 101-93.
Kyle Kuzma led the Lakers with 24 points, Dennis Schroder added 19 and six assists and Alex Caruso scored 13 while finishing a team-best plus-21 in the final box score.
After struggling to take care of the ball Monday in New York, the Lakers turned it over only 11 times Tuesday in Charlotte.
The win against the Hornets wrapped a seven-game road trip, a stretch in which the Lakers improbably won four times. They return to Staples Center on Thursday to host Boston.
