Lakers’ Rookie Sees Preseason Explosion

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht saw a white-hot scoring performance against the Phoenix Suns Thursday night.

Oct 17, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) reacts after making a three point basket against the Phoenix Suns during the overtime period at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Longtime NBA superstar Anthony Davis poured on a blistering 35 points in preseason action Thursday night, propelling Los Angeles to a 6-point overtime victory over the Suns.

And oddly enough, he wasn’t the only Laker to reach that mark.

Dalton Knecht, one of the freshest Lakers on the squad, added 35 points on 10-for-18 shooting in 32 minutes off the bench. He shot a scalding 8-for-13 from 3-point land, including hitting seven of his eight attempted free throws, while adding an important seven rebounds, two steals, two blocks and one assists.

And despite his already-gaudy line, it wasn’t the final box score that was the most impressive part of the game. Near the end of the fourth quarter and into overtime, Knecht scored 20-straight points for Los Angeles in one of the more remarkable rookie performances ever, preseason or not.

He finished with 20 of the team’s final 22 points. The performance, to put it simply, was awe inspiring.

The contest for could well be a launchpad for Knecht to become a major contributor for the Lakers. At 23, he’s already more experienced as a player than most in his class. And with his frame, athleticism and shooting prowess, he should be able to grab minutes sooner than many expect.

Knecht and Los Angeles makes their officially regular season debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 9 p.m. CT.

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