By Matt Rochinski at Hornets.com
Result: Kemba Walker put the Hornets on his back, scoring 11 of the team’s final 13 points on his way to a playoff career-high 34 points as Charlotte earned its second-straight playoff victory, 89-85, on April 25 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Jeremy Lin tied a playoff career high with 21 points and Courtney Lee grabbed two clutch offensive rebounds in the final moments to help the Hornets secure the victory and head back to Miami on April 27 with the series knotted, 2-2.
Turning Point: There arguably could have been a handful of turning points that decided this one – Charlotte’s 15-1 run spanning the majority of the second quarter that turned a 10-point deficit into a two-point advantage, the Hornets 9-0 run to start the third that pushed the lead to 18, or Miami’s 15-1 run to counter it right after all made their case for the key stretch. However, it was Kemba Walker taking over the way Kemba has tended to do this season that will be the lasting impression that fans walk away from Time Warner Cable Arena with on this night. Having watched a nine-point lead nearly vanish thanks to a 9-1 Miami run early in the fourth, the Hornets needed someone to step up with their playoff lives potentially hanging in the balance. Cue Kemba… and Courtney.
In the game’s final six minutes, Walker would connect on four-straight jumpers, including one three-pointer and make both of his free throws as he racked up 11 of his team’s last 13 points. He didn’t miss anything for a stretch of 5:11 but when he did, it was Lee who was there to secure the win. After Lee missed a 18-foot jumper of his own with 59.9 seconds left and the Hornets up 87-84, he was somehow able to track down his own miss and dish the ball to Walker for what looked like a game-clinching three with 44.8 ticks remaining. Unfortunately, Walker’s shot rimmed out and the Heat came up with the ball. Hassan Whiteside would hit on 1-of-2 free throws on Miami’s ensuing possession to trim the lead to 87-85 before Walker threw up a desperation heave with the shot clock running out with 5.8 on the clock. Somehow Walker managed to hit the rim and it was Lee who was there to scoop up the offensive board again. Lee then iced the game with two free throws with 4.6 remaining, rounding out the final score.
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