Hornets' Kemba Walker returns from knee soreness in win over Heat

Kemba Walker returned Wednesday after missing two games with knee soreness and helped the Charlotte Hornets extend their winning streak to three games with a 78-76 victory over the Miami Heat. 

The point guard had a rather pedestrian game, putting up 15 points on 4-of-17 shooting from the field with one assist, but converted on a free throw with 12 seconds left to put the Hornets up by a basket and turned the ball over just once.

And Walker can be cut some slack for the off night. Before missing two straight, he averaged 29.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists over a six-game stretch in which the Hornets went 5-1 to climb up the Eastern Conference standings. They've won eight of their last nine and surpassed the Brooklyn Nets for the No. 8 seed in the East.

Charlotte will look to make it four in a row Friday when it goes up against the surging Cleveland Cavaliers, who are winners of four consecutive after crushing the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.