Dalton Knecht Stats Tonight: Lakers rookie shatters records in career-night vs Jazz (Nov. 19)
Dalton Knecht continued his hot stretch on Tuesday night as the LA Lakers hosted the Utah Jazz. The Lakers' first-round pick got another starting nod with Rui Hachimura on the sidelines. Knecht, who had averaged 20.0 points on 64/63/100 splits in the last three games, had a career night as he led the Lakers to a 123-115 win.
He scored 37 points on 12 of 16 shots, including 9 of 12 from deep. Knecht added five rebounds and a steal. He was a +/- +18 in 38:25 minutes of action.
Knecht matched the NBA rookie record for most 3s in a game and broke the Lakers rookie record in the same category with his phenomenal outing. He also tied the single-quarter rookie record for most 3-pointers made without a miss (six).
His continued growth with that sublime effort has helped the case to make the starting lineup permanently. JJ Redick and the Lakers will have a good headache to deal with once their frontcourt is healthy again, with Knecht playing at such a level.
Dalton Knecht reacts to his impeccable shooting night
Dalton Knecht's unwavering confidence has been key to his early success with the LA Lakers in his rookie season. Like any other shooter, he just needs one shot to go in to find his rhythm. It was no different for him on Tuesday. The former Tennesse prospect gave insights into what transpired in his amazing performance, saying:
"The first shot, every time I see one go in, I think the next one is going in."
Knecht didn't hesitate to let it fly one after the other whenever he got the chance to do so. He played that way right from the beginning when he made two consecutive 3s in the first quarter. It wasn't just 3-point shooting that made the difference, he also moved well off the ball to stretch the Jazz's defense.
He made excellent reads on multiple occasions and attacked the rim when required. Knecht had two dunks off baseline cuts and a closeout attack layup. The rest nine shots came from beyond the arc, six of which came in the third quarter.
Dalton Knecht has seemingly gained more trust from coach JJ Redick, who has already hailed him a "top 1% shooter" in the NBA. He's played a massive role in at least five of the Lakers' six straight wins, helping the team improve to 10-4 despite multiple players out because of injury.