WATCH: Dalton Knecht impeccably mimics Michael Jordan's "Shrug" amid berserk shooting spree
Dalton Knecht had the Crypto.com Arena on their feet as he went on a crazed shooting spree from beyond the arc. He had the crowd erupting when he pulled off Michael Jordan's signature 'shrug' celly after swishing one from downtown, and his fourth on the bounce.
At the time of writing, Knecht had already hit a landmark night with 12-15 shooting from the 3 and 9-11 from the field against a clueless Utah Jazz unit.
The 17th pick of the 2024 Draft class had recorded 37 points and five boards as the LA Lakers led 105-90 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter. In the process, he scored 18 straight points, draining triples and extending the Lakers' lead to over 20 points. The win now sees the Lakers hit a six-game winning streak as they gear up for a stern test against the Orlando Magic.
Dalton Knecht explains the 'shrug' celebration
Speaking to the media after the win, Dalton Knecht explained the 'shrug' celebration. He revealed he said to his teammate Rui Hachimura about coming up with a celebration for his buckets. His celebration was the one made famous by Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan in the 1992 NBA Finals after a slew of three-pointers.
“Rui (Hachimura) was talking to me about (how) I need to get a 3-point celebration,” Knecht said. “I didn't know what to do, so I just gave the shrug.”
Knecht's response was met with laughter as the rookie wing was all smiles himself after a solid outing. On the season front, LeBron James had 26 points and 12 assists to show for, while Anthony Davis notched up 26 points and 14 rebounds as the Lakers improved to an impressive 7-0 at home.
Knecht has been on fire in the last few games. Leading up to his 37-point explosion, he had 19, 14, and 27 points. His last four games sees him averaging 24.3 points per game while swishing 21 3-pointers.
The rookie, earlier labeled as a pure shooter by their former sharpshooter coach JJ Redick can also be the answer to LA's requirement of a bonafide three-point shooter alongside Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell. He's been in the right position at the right time and is an answer for their perimeter shooting woes.
Only time will tell if Dalton Knecht can build on his early success. It's been just 14 games for him and the Lakers. A consistent approach would mean cementing a starting role.