Very comfortable since two meetings as a starter, Dalton Knecht exploded against Jazz. Already very good in the first period, with 12 points, he caught fire after the break, starting with a 3-pt in the corner. Then, in the last minutes of the quarter, and in the same place on the field, he will hit four times in a row at 3-points!
“In the second half, it seemed like everyone in the room knew Dalton Knecht was going to shoot, except for a few people. The problem is that these few people were on our team”, laments Will Hardy, Utah coach.
The Lakers rookie thus finished this third quarter with 21 points. He added another award-winning basket at the start of the fourth, to finish the game with 37 points at 12/16 shooting, his new career record. “He was phenomenal”said Anthony Davis in the locker room after the Los Angeles victory.
Dalton Knecht allowed himself a little Michael Jordan-style shrug. For what ? “Rui (Hachimura) told me I had to have a 3-point celebration and I didn't know what to do. So I did this…”
“The other 16 teams screwed up. Nobody saw him play? »
Above all, with 9 award-winning baskets, he equals the NBA record for a rookie. He shares this performance with Rodrigue Beaubois (2010), Yogi Ferrell (2017) and Keyonte George (2024).
“When we observe him for a few weeks, it’s obvious that he can shoot. He was phenomenal in this meeting”, JJ Redick also confirms. “The Jazz made a zone and it was up to D’Angelo Russell to find it. He did it with a few assists in a row. And when LeBron James returned, it was D-Lo who made the screen to release him. We are happy for Dalton. »
For LeBron James, it is especially the Lakers who are happy to have been able to draft him in 17th position.
“They didn’t bet on DK… The other 16 teams screwed up. Nobody saw him play? »laughed the local star, who had praised his future teammate last season, when he was at Tennessee in the NCAA. “I can say the same thing as last year. Everyone on the internet said I was a liar. So, am I still now? I said, I watched Tennessee a lot. »
| Dalton Knecht | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2024-25 | LAL | 13 | 20 | 48.4 | 40.4 | 100.0 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 9.3 |
| Total | 13 | 20 | 48.4 | 40.4 | 100.0 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 9.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
