Lakers fans cheered when Lou Williams made a contested 3-pointer just as the shot clock expired in Wednesday’s game in Atlanta. Some Hawks fans cheered too, seeing a hometown favorite at his best.

With both fan bases in his corner, Williams shared something with teammate D’Angelo Russell.

“This is my (house)!” Williams boasted before the Lakers’ 123-116 victory at Philips Arena.

Despite scoring 16 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, however, Williams wasn’t interested in gloating in the spotlight. He tried to race out of the locker room to see his children, only to have that visit delayed with reporters greeting him.

Those moments sum up Williams. He’s averaging 14.6 points on 46.9 percent shooting as the team’s starting shooting guard going into Friday’s game against the Golden State Warriors (4-1) at Staples Center. Thus far, he’s avoided the attention.

“He’s more of a natural leader than he realizes,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said. “He’s quiet and doesn’t always talk. But when he does, everyone listens.”

After one preseason practice, Williams led a team huddle and called for everyone to maintain their hunger level.

He arrives early for practices and games so teammates follow suit. During a recent film session, Walton presented a clip that showed Williams picking up a teammate’s defensive assignment because of a switch.

“He has a great voice as far as his opinions,” Russell said. “He voices them and lets you know what’s right and wrong and what you can do in a situation. I feel like you’re learning when you’re playing with him. He does a great job for us.”

Williams is providing leadership without the use of dramatic speeches, saying he mostly has “general conversations” on the plane and in the locker room.

“It’s fun to see the development and to see their growth,” Williams said of the Lakers’ young core. “Night in and night out, you see something different. You’re always encouraged by what they are able to do.”

The Lakers are encouraged by Williams’ presence. Forward Nick Young said the team has given Williams the nickname “Mighty Mouse,” since the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Williams plays with confidence. For better and worse, Walton noted Williams takes a high volume of shots because he “always thinks the next one is going in” the basket. On Wednesday, Williams went on a late-game scoring binge that Walton said “bailed us out on a few possessions.”

“Lou does a good job of keeping it pretty level. He has the respect of all of his teammates,” Walton said. “When he speaks up and pulls guys to the side it helps bring the team back to where we need to be.”

INJURY UPDATE

The Lakers listed center Timofey Mozgov as doubtful for Friday’s game after team doctors diagnosed him with a soft tissue contusion around his left eye.

Mozgov underwent tests Thursday that came back negative for any fractures or a concussion. He missed Wednesday’s win in Atlanta after the results of a CT scan were ruled inconclusive.

The 7-1 Russian was poked in his left eye and suffered a laceration in his mouth during Tuesday’s loss in Indiana. Mozgov, who signed as a free agent this summer, is averaging 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds.

Rookie center Ivica Zubac started in place of Mozgov against Atlanta and matched up with veteran center and former Laker Dwight Howard. Zubac had six points on 3-for-3 shooting, though he also was called for four fouls.

Contact the writer: mmedina@scng.com