Although the official NBA season hasn’t kicked off, Los Angeles Lakers newcomer Dalton Knecht made a big statement on Thursday night, signaling his readiness to leave a mark in the league.
Coming off the bench and playing for 32 minutes, Knecht racked up 35 points, shooting 10-of-18 overall and nailing eight three-pointers. He also contributed seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks to his impressive stats. Notably, he scored 20 points out of the Lakers’ last 22, propelling the team into overtime and securing a 128–122 victory over the Phoenix Suns in a preseason game.
Knecht’s performance was not limited to simple shots; he managed to sink two three-pointers over Suns’ towering 7’3″ center Bol Bol, including a crucial game-tying three-pointer with just 5.1 seconds to go.
This last three-pointer, which concluded a 12-point rally in the fourth quarter by Knecht, caused Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis to jump off the bench in celebration of Knecht’s end-game heroics.
Dalton Knecht 3PT over Bol Bol to force OT
Lakers rookie is COLD pic.twitter.com/GGqIHBKOLJ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 18, 2024
mood pic.twitter.com/4TSHgjxaYA
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 18, 2024
Such enthusiastic reactions are seldom seen from NBA All-Stars during the preseason.
Selected 17th overall in the 2024 NBA draft, Knecht has consistently scored at least 19 points in his last three preseason appearances.
Lakers coach JJ Redick praised Knecht after the game, saying, “It was an incredible performance… What really stands out is his mindset. From pickup games before the season to training camp and now in these games, it’s clear he’s fearless and embraces the big moments.”
“He really put on a show,” added Redick.
With one more preseason game left against the Golden State Warriors before the regular season starts next Tuesday, Knecht, fresh from a 35-point performance, appears more than ready to secure a regular spot in Redick’s lineup as a rookie.
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