Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick credited rookie Dalton Knecht for sparking the team’s comeback in their 128-123 triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday.
“He was the catalyst for our comeback…it was the energy he brought,” Redick said. “He was huge. It got the crowd into it. Our bench into it and brought us back to life.”
Knecht scored a career-high 19 points, including five three pointers. Knecht was 7-of-8 shooting and didn’t miss from the three-point line.
Coming off the bench, Knecht made the most of his 20 minutes on the floor. One of the rookie’s best plays was an alley-oop for a Christian Koloko dunk to tie the game at 96.
“I don’t remember much except grabbing the ball and I saw Koloko running and then I just threw the ball up for a lob and he dunked it,” Knecht said postgame. “It was good to see that. And see the energy in Crypto.com Arena.”
LeBron James earning his third consecutive triple-double was the headline of the game; however, Knecht’s performance was a big moment for the rookie. But even James credited Knecht with sparking a resurgence in the offense.
“We leaned on Dalton Knecht; that’s what we did,” James said. “AD got in foul trouble, and our first-round pick hit a hot streak. He looked like he was back at Tennessee, so we leaned on him. I just tried to sprinkle in a couple plays here and there.”
Anthony Davis also spoke highly of Knecht’s performance off the bench. The Lakers have only played 11 games this season, but it’s evident Knecht was a steal in the draft.
“He stepped up,” Davis said. “His ability to shoot the basketball propelled us, especially in that third quarter. Big shots. Big time shots. We kind of got on him last game about passing, turning down shots. He’s too good of a shooter not to shoot the basketball. He made some big shots for us tonight.”
Knecht certainly made the case for more opportunities in the future. The 23-year-old has a bright future in Los Angeles, which is exactly what the Lakers thought when they drafted him.
Knecht had the best game of his career Wednesday night and it’s just the beginning. He’s the type of shooter the Lakers have always needed. Knecht could serve as the solution the Lakers’ three-point struggles if he continues on this trend.
