The Los Angeles Lakers have found themselves with their backs against the wall. Despite being in the midst of a six-game winning streak that's created a 17-win gap between where Los Angeles is now and .500, injuries have challenged the sustainability of a season of success.
Thankfully, just when it seemed as though the Lakers were destined to falter, head coach JJ Redick gave Dalton Knecht the green light.
Knecht was instrumental to Los Angeles securing a 108-102 victory over the LA Clippers on Sunday, Mar. 2. He was second on the Lakers in scoring, recording 19 points in 25 minutes as Los Angeles pulled out a relatively low-scoring win.
Knecht caught fire and never seemed to slow down, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Knecht added four rebounds, one offensive board, and two steals to his well-rounded tally. He also put points on the board in all four quarters, including a fourth-quarter three that amounted to 15.8 percent of the team's total scoring numbers during the final period of play.
It was a feel-good moment for the rookie, who has overcome a trade falling through and erratic playing time to prevail as one of the Lakers' most valuable reserves.
Dalton Knecht continues to prove he can step up in tough spots
Knecht has received at least 20 minutes of playing time in 25 games during the 2024-25 regular season. He's scored at least 10 points in 17 of those outings, recording 10 showings with at least 17 points and five with 20-plus.
In all, Knecht is averaging 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 2.5 three-point field goals made per game on .510/.406/.857 shooting when he plays at least 20 minutes.
Those numbers are emblematic of the elite floor spacing capabilities that Knecht has already displayed as a rookie. He's not merely a capable shooter, but a lethal marksman who can take over portions of a game, whether he's working on or off the ball.
On the season, Knecht is shooting 35.1 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 45.5 percent on pull-up attempts from beyond the arc.
Considering it's still his first NBA season, the Lakers have every reason to be intrigued by what Knecht has done thus far. He's scored as many 37 points in a single game and provided a generally positive impact when his shot is falling.
Thus far in 2024-25, the Lakers are 14-8 when Knecht scores at least 10 points—with the Mar. 2 outing being the latest entry in that history of successful results.
It's unclear what will happen to Knecht's role once Hachimura and Reaves return to the rotation, especially now that Jarred Vanderbilt is beginning to look like himself again. Los Angeles needs to continue featuring the rookie in some capacity, however, especially with the playoffs looming.
Thankfully, Knecht is off to a great start as he continues to prove that he can thrive when the minutes are made available to him.