Hornets' Nicolas Batum: Flirts with triple-double in Friday's loss

Batum finished with 18 points (7-17 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 3-6 FT), nine rebounds, nine assists and one block across 45 minutes in Friday's 113-111 overtime loss to the Knicks.

Analysis:

Though he struggled with his efficiency from downtown Friday, Batum still managed to knock down a three-pointer in the eighth straight contest. It's no surprise that his scoring has taken off during that stretch, with Batum failing to hit double figures in only one of those contests while averaging 15.6 points per game. In addition, Batum is producing 7.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists per contest in that span, giving him a high floor even in games where his shooting percentage is far from impressive.