Charlotte Hornets: Jeremy Lin Breaks Out In Win Over Raptors

Jeremy Lin led the Charlotte Hornets to an overtime win over the Toronto Raptors with an exceptional 35-point performance.

After an unexpected 14-8 start to the season, the Charlotte Hornets recently endured a bit of a setback. After losing a tight battle against the Boston Celtics at home, the team got completely outclassed on the road Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic.

At 14-10 in a loaded Eastern Conference, every game is critical and every loss could haunt you when April rolls around. Thursday brought another talented Eastern foe in the Toronto Raptors. Coming into the contest, the Raptors’ record sat at 16-10, meaning a tough game for Charlotte that they could not afford to lose.

With games against the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, and Memphis Grizzlies, looming it was critical that they take advantage of a home game against Toronto and not let their current losing streak snowball.

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Thankfully for Hornets fans, they did just that. Charlotte got back on track Thursday night, ending the brief two-game losing streak with a thrilling 109-99 overtime victory over Toronto.

They used 10 three-pointers and some lockdown perimeter defense to knock off a feisty Toronto team. Steve Clifford’s merry band of misfits also got a little help from a diminutive point guard that had a spectacular offensive showing.

The player that led the way was none other than Jeremy Lin, the man that brought Linsanity to New York during his time as a Knick. Against the Raptors, Lin turned in a performance that undoubtedly endeared him to the fans in Charlotte forever.

Heading into the game, Lin’s season had been a bit of a roller-coaster ride. There is no question about his value to the team, since he has turned into the leader of a bench unit that has given Charlotte more depth than they’ve had in quite some time. Still, his individual numbers haven’t been quite where he or the fans would like them to be.

Through the first 24 games Lin averaged 10.5 points and 2.9 assists per game, on 41.1 percent shooting and 30 percent from three-point range. Those numbers aren’t terrible for a player entering a brand new situation and only playing 23.6 minutes per game, but more efficient shooting would be preferred.

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There are plenty of reason for his struggles. This is his first season with the Hornets organization and there is usually an adjustment period when learning a new system, learning how to play for a new coach, and learning how to play with new teammates.

Michael Dunlap even wrote an excellent article a few weeks ago about how Lin fares on the court with Kemba Walker and without him. The conclusion was that Lin is better as the lone point guard and when he’s allowed to have the ball in his hands to create for himself and his teammates. That’s been the case for most of his career.

Despite the bumps in the road, the team has been winning and Lin has shown flashes of what he’s capable of when he’s given the right opportunities. If the team is having success, there’s no reason to complain about the play of one player, especially when that player is as likable as Lin is.

In the win over Toronto, Lin showed just how good he can be when Steve Clifford gives him the freedom to look for his shot. He was sensational.

Due to Nicolas Batum’s illness, he found his name in the starting lineup and he took full advantage of it. Lin played a team high 47 minutes, scoring 35 points on 13-for-22 shooting, tallying five assists and grabbing four rebounds as well. Linsanity was unleashed on Uptown Charlotte. All that was missing was Lin and Frank Kaminsky acting out the “Hotline Bling” video in its entirety.

He shot 2-for-5 from outside, moved well without the ball to get easy baskets at the rim, and showed off the dribble penetration that made him famous in New York. It was his best all-around game as a Hornet and he nearly reached his career high of 38 points.

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Lin proved that he deserves much more than 23.6 minutes per game. When you have a player that has the potential to heat up and drop 35 points at the drop of a hat, why waste him on the bench?

The two point guard lineup was better than it’s ever been against Toronto, which could mean Lin and Walker are learning to coexist in the backcourt. Walker also played well, scoring 27 points to end the game as Charlotte’s second leading scorer. Was it a sign of things to come?

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If this tandem can continue to develop their chemistry, there’s no telling how high the Charlotte Hornets could climb in the Eastern Conference standings.