Dalton Knecht Stats Tonight: Lakers first-round pick continues to impress vs Kings (Oct. 26)
LA Lakers Dalton Knecht continued to impress everyone with his on-court exploits in his third career game against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. After playing a pivotal role in LA's 22-point comeback win in the crucial second quarter against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, Knecht provided solid minutes against the Kings as the Lakers won 131-127.
Knecht scored 10 points, dished one assist and committed one turnover. He had three personal fouls in his 20:10 minutes of action. Knecht shot 4 of 7, including 2 of 5 from deep.
Breaking down Dalton Knecht's performance
Dalton Knecht entered the game in the second quarter in a lineup with LeBron James, D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes. The rookie knocked down his first shot from downtown off a LeBron assist. He added four more points, with a floater and a dunk, which was assisted by Anthony Davis.
Knecht received another nine minutes of action in the second half. It was a relatively quiet stretch, as he scored only three points. However, he also had only two shot attempts. He connected on a 3-pointer to extend his tally to 10 points for the night.
His box scores haven't been reflecting his impact yet. However, Knecht's stock within the Lakers staff is steadily rising because of his gravity on offense and serviceable defense. His size and shooting have created advantages for the Lakers against opposing second units of the Timberwolves, Suns and Kings.
He's also looked comfortable for someone only in his rookie season. It was expected from him, considering he was viewed as a polished prospect compared to his draft mates after spending four years in college. The Lakers are benefiting from it amid their injury troubles.
However, it seems like JJ Redick will make Dalton Knecht a regular rotation player at this rate. His shot volume isn't as high right now, but the ones he's making are timely and at crucial junctures. He's essential to Redick's offensive game plan that revolves around spacing, player and ball movement.