Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick credited rookie Dalton Knecht for sparking the team’s comeback in their 128-123 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.
“He was the catalyst for our comeback… it was the energy he brought,” Redick said. “It was huge. It brought the crowd into it. Our bench into it and brought us back to life.”
Knecht scored a career-high 19 points, including five 3-pointers. Knecht shot 7-of-8 and didn’t miss from the three-point line.
Coming off the bench, Knecht made the most of his twenty minutes on the floor. One of the rookie’s best plays was an alley-oop for a Christian Koloko dunk, tying the game at 96.
“I don’t remember much except I got the ball and I saw Koloko running and then I just threw the ball up for a lob and he dunked it,” Knecht said after the game. “It was good to see that. And see the energy in Crypto.com Arena.”
LeBron James earning his third straight triple-double headlined 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 into foul trouble and our first-round pick went on a hot streak. He looked like he was back in Tennessee, so we leaned on him. I tried to sprinkle in a few plays here and there.”
Anthony Davis also praised Knecht’s performance off the bench. The Lakers have only played 11 games this season, but it’s clear 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 shots. We got on him a little bit last game about passing and deflecting shots. He’s too good a shooter not to shooting the basketball. He made some big shots for us tonight.”
Knecht certainly advocated for more opportunities in the future. The 23-year-old has a bright future in Los Angeles, and that’s exactly what the Lakers thought when they drafted him.
Knecht played the best game of his career on Wednesday evening and it’s just the beginning. He’s the type of shooter the Lakers have always needed. Knecht could be the solution to the Lakers’ three-point struggles if he continues this trend.
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