Here is what you need to know before the Lakers take their show to Charlotte for a meeting with the Hornets.
1)
Larry Nance Jr. is coming off his best game as a pro. The rookie notched his first double-double by racking up career-highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds. He also showed off his newfound willingness to fire from mid-range, where he went 4-of-5.
2)
Kobe Bryant is making his final visit to Charlotte, the team that originally drafted him back in 1996 before he was traded to the Lakers. Bryant has provided plenty of memories against Charlotte, including dropping a series-high 58 points on the then-Bobcats on Dec. 29, 2006, or tallying a career-best five blocks on Feb. 2, 2001.
3)
The Hornets take care of the ball better than any other team. They commit a league-low 13.2 turnovers per game.
4)
Charlotte is also relying on the long ball more than ever. It hits the third-most 3-pointers (10.3), while three of the franchise’s top four 3-point shooting games have come during this season, including the record 18 triples hit on Dec. 11.
5)
Nicolas Batum has been doing it all in his first season as a Hornet. He leads all players on new teams in scoring with a career-best 16.3 points per game. Among shooting guards, he ranks first in rebounds (6.6) and second in assists (4.9).
6)
Charlotte hopes Al Jefferson will return to form as soon as possible. He ranks second in the league in post-up scoring (5.8), but the past month has been rough. The 12-year veteran missed six games with a leg injury and then was hit with a five game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. In his first game back, he shot just 1-of-8 and fouled out in 18 minutes.
7)
A familiar face awaits the purple and gold, as Jeremy Lin followed his lone season with the Lakers by joining the Hornets. The Harvard product led Los Angeles in total assists (339) last year.
8)
The Hornets’ organization boasts some of the best college players to ever hit the hardwood. Four members of the franchise — Frank Kaminsky, Tyler Hansbrough, assistant coach Patrick Ewing and owner Michael Jordan — have been named Naismith College Player of the Year.
9)
Likewise, the Hornets have also been members of some of the best collegiate teams. Jordan, Ewing and Hansbrough have all won the NCAA championship — as have Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb, Marvin Williams and the injured Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
10)
Despite being owned by Jordan, one of the greatest dunkers in NBA history, the Hornets rarely throw it down. In fact, their 46 dunks this year are fewer than six individual players: DeAndre Jordan, Hassan Whiteside, Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, Clint Capela and Festus Ezeli.