Anthony Davis: Dalton Knecht 'Opens Up Everything' For Lakers Offense
Yesterday at 01:28 PM
Dalton Knecht fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in this year’s draft in large part due to his age as he is already 23 years old after five years in college. But that just means he is ready to contribute immediately and after a slow start to the season, Knecht is giving LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers exactly the kind of support they need.
Knecht had his best game of the season when his team really needed it, dropping a career-high 27 points including five 3-pointers, to go along with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Lakers defeated a feisty New Orleans Pelicans team on the second night of a back-to-back.
Knecht and Davis sparked the Lakers in the third quarter, helping them overcome a sluggish first half performance. Afterwards, Davis spoke about the belief he has in the rookie, and how the team feeds off him when he gets going.
“Anytime he shoots the ball I think it’s going in, that’s why we get so frustrated and upset when he doesn’t shoot,” Davis said after the five-point win. “He’s a great player. He can defend, he can shoot, he can put it on the floor, he can pass, so he can do it all. But when he has his stretches where he gets hot it’s a big boost for our team and we’re able to feed off that energy and most of the time we make a run off of it.”
That was the case Saturday night as Knecht and Davis combined for 26 of the Lakers’ 29 third quarter points while the defense kicked into gear, holding New Orleans to just 15. And Davis would continue in his praise for Knecht, noting how him being older allows him to be ready to contribute immediately, while adding that his shooting opens up so much for the Lakers as a whole.
“He’s not really a young player so he’s seen a lot of defenses, obviously with his scoring ability through his college career. He’s already pro-ready, it’s kinda like how Dame [Lillard] was. You go through college for so long, you kinda mature, get older. So now he doesn’t need that confidence, but when you have guys telling you to shoot the ball that usually shows that we have the utmost confidence in you to go out there and make shots.
“He takes big time shots, he makes big time shots and it gives us a boost, especially when two or three go in we’re looking for him. We’re looking for him to shoot the basketball and it just kinda opens up everything else for us.”
Over the last three games, Knecht is averaging 20 points on 63.9% shooting and 63.1% from 3-point range. Obviously that level of shooting is unsustainable, but he brings a level of shooting that the Lakers need and when he gets hot it just makes things that much easier for Davis and the rest of the Lakers to dominate elsewhere.
Dalton Knecht thankful for confidence Lakers have in him to keep shooting
Anthony Davis spoke to how the Lakers get frustrated with Dalton Knecht when he doesn’t shoot, which shows the level of confidence the entire team has in him. And for Knecht that really means a lot and allows him to play with that confidence.
“It’s always good to have a coach like that, a coach that is super confident in you, always wanting you to shoot the ball. So, when I do go out there and shoot some crazy shots or something that I shouldn’t be shooting, it’s always good that JJ will have my back,” Knecht said. “And those guys like LeBron and AD always encourage me to shoot the ball. They say I practice it all the time, just be out there and play super confident.”
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