LeBron James reacts in 4 words after rookie Dalton Knecht sizzles in Lakers' OT thriller vs. Suns
Lakers superstar LeBron James lavished praise on rookie Dalton Knecht for his incredible shooting performance in the Lakers' 128-122 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. Knecht thrilled his teammates and millions of Lakers fans with a game-winning display in the Purple and Gold’s penultimate preseason game.
The young forward was on fire from beyond the arc, scoring 20 consecutive points for the Lakers in the fourth quarter and overtime, showcasing his elite sharpshooting skills. With the Lakers trailing 113-107, Knecht drilled back-to-back 3-pointers, sending the game into overtime.
Knecht continued his hot streak, starting overtime with two more triples and scoring 13 straight points in the extra period. The Footprint Center crowd witnessed an outrageous shooting performance, as the Lakers' bench, including LeBron, repeatedly leaped from their seats in excitement.
After the game, four-time NBA champion LeBron James gave a shout-out to Knecht and dropped a four-word reaction to rookie's masterclass performance.
"Cannon!!!!!!! That boy COLD!!!" LeBron wrote on his Instagram story.
Knecht sizzled with a spectacular performance, scoring 35 points while shooting 10-of-18 from the field, including an impressive 8-of-13 from beyond the arc. He also added seven rebounds, an assist, two steals and two blocks, rounding off an exceptional all-around game.
Also read: Skip Bayless coins new moniker for Dalton Knecht after Lakers rookie's breakout game vs. Suns
Meanwhile, LeBron was rested for the game against Phoenix after participating in three of the Lakers' previous preseason game. The four-time NBA MVP will also sit out the team's final preseason game against the Golden State Warriors on Friday.
Devin Booker on Dalton Knecht's performance
Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was left amazed by Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht after his incredible shooting display. Following the Suns' loss to the Lakers, Booker praised Knecht’s performance and admitted he hadn’t known much about the former Northern Colorado standout before the preseason.
“Unbelievable. He can shoot the peel off the ball," Booker told reporters. "I didn’t know much about him until Palm Springs, but definitely somebody that I have my eye on."
Knecht had been looking for a breakout performance leading up to Thursday’s game against the Suns. In his first four preseason outings, he struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 10 of 37 attempts.
However, after his stellar shooting display against the Suns, the Lakers rookie has improved his numbers, now shooting 18-of-50 from 3-point range across five preseason games, boosting his percentage to 36.0%.