Dalton Knecht Stats Tonight: Breaking down Lakers rookie's performance vs. Suns (Oct. 25)
Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht came off the bench in the team’s second game of the season against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, stepping up with crucial scoring for the Purple and Gold. The former Tennessee standout sparked the Lakers in the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where LeBron James and co. had fallen behind by 20 points early on.
Knecht drilled two quick 3-pointers, giving the Lakers momentum when they needed it most. Though he missed his third attempt from deep, his defensive hustle and eagerness on the offensive glass made a strong impression on JJ Redick.
With apparent encouragement from Redick to shoot confidently, Knecht continued to fire from beyond the arc after earning an extended run in the second quarter.
The rookie missed his fourth 3-point attempt but added two points from the free-throw line. Dalton saw limited action in the second half and didn’t attempt a single shot in the final two quarters.
Overall, Knecht finished the game with eight points, shooting 2-of-5 from the field, including 2-of-4 from deep in 10:21 minutes. He shot 2 of 2 from the free throw line and also recorded one rebound, two assists and one steal. He has plus/minus of +13.
Dalton Knecht reflects on his NBA debut
Dalton Knecht made his official NBA debut in the Lakers’ 110-103 victory over the Timberwolves on Tuesday. The rookie logged 16 minutes, contributing five points, one rebound, and two assists.
Following Thursday’s practice session, Knecht shared his excitement about his debut, expressing joy over scoring his first NBA points with a three-pointer.
"I think JJ just called a play out of a timeout, an ATO and we didn’t run it, but we ran it right after that," Knecht said. "D-Lo called it I believe and yea, it was real cool to shoot my first shot and make it. I can’t remember who told me, but they said LeBron and AD both made their first shot in the NBA too so it was real cool to have that moment."
The Lakers are set to face the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, and Knecht will aim to maintain his strong bench production. With this being the second game of a back-to-back, the team will need all the support it can get from the rookie.