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Lakers' Dalton Knecht Lands in Company With Former 76ers Player

A standout game from a Lakers rookie put him in company with a former Philadelphia 76ers sharpshooter.

Justin Grasso

Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) competes during the first half against the Houston Rockets at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) competes during the first half against the Houston Rockets at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
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It might just be preseason in the NBA, but Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht put on a show that had fans buzzing on Thursday night. As the first-round pick put together a dominant showing late in the matchup against the Phoenix Suns, he landed in similar company as a former Philadelphia 76ers player.

The rookie checked in for nearly 32 minutes on Thursday night. He put up 18 shots from the field, with 13 of them coming from beyond the arc.

Being one of the most notable shooters in this past draft, Knecht’s ability to heat up from deep was expected.

All but two of his makes came from three. The rookie hit on eight of his long-range shot attempts. One more, and he would’ve surpassed some elite company for a single-game stat.

Kyle Korver was one of the NBA’s most notable three-point shooters during his time in the league. Coming out of Creighton in 2003, Korver was a second-round draft pick, who started his career with the Sixers.

Kyle Korver during his playing days against the 76ers.
Nov 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyle Korver (26) dribbles past Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

In five seasons in Philly, Korver averaged 41 percent from deep. Throughout his career, he was a 43 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

Korver was never able to push past the eight mark from long range. During his tenure with the Atlanta Hawks, Korver knocked down eight threes on three different occasions. His most three-pointers in a single game as a Sixer came in 2004 against the Indiana Pacers, when Korver hit seven threes to collect 23 points.

Knecht wasn’t teasing any NBA records on Thursday night. Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson sits comfortably with his record of 14 three-pointers in a single game during his time with the Golden State Warriors.

Plus, a preseason record wouldn’t stay in the books anyway. But give the rookie credit, he made a major impact in an exciting preseason game before heading into the regular season. For a person in his position, Knecht put together a performance that could help him earn playing time during the regular season. He scored 35 points, along with seven rebounds, one assist, two steals, and two blocks.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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