Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knecht denies. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, entered Thursday’s game against the Phoenix Suns shooting 10 of 37 (27%) from 3-point range in the preseason. This was a bit disappointing, because he shot 39.7% from deep at the end of Tennessee’s season and his teacher, JJ Redick, one of the easiest shooters in the history of the sport, had said that Knecht is “in the 1%” as a shooter in an interview in “The Lowe Post” ending the past.
In Phoenix, Knecht shot from three points and from distance. He scored 35 points, including 18 immediately in a five-and-a-half-minute span that began late in the fourth quarter, leading the Lakers to a 128-122 extra-regulation victory. He shot 10 of 18 from the field and 8 of 13 from downtown. He hit a deep three-pointer over Bol Bol to clinch the game at the end of the law. He made an off-balance corner at the end of the half from a 3-point shot from an out-of-bounds baseline playing games in out-of-regulation time. With an insignificant left in the difference box, he opposed a shot in a shot and converted an and-1 in the alternative. Knecht scored Los Angeles’ first 13 overtimes and then assisted on their final basket.
“It was an incredible performance,” Redick told reporters, via Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “Reggie [Miller] And I was talking about it before the game and he said, “It’s a huge compliment to say he’s in the top 1% of shooters.” And I said, ‘No, he’s in the 1% of shooters.’ What happens with him is simply the mentality. It’s been very obvious in recovery before the season, in training camp and so far in games. He is not afraid. He is not afraid of the moment. “That was a show he put on.”
Redick persevered, laughing: “And my assistants tried to tell me not to put him back in the game with four minutes left, so I’m going to look for them. I’m going to look for them later, I’ll tell you.” that.”
There was room for Knecht to step up because LeBron James (the rest, or, as Redick joked, channeling Gregg Popovich, “old DNP”) and Rui Hachimura (calf) were out of the lineup and the Lakers were restricted. Austin Reaves on 22 minutes due to ankle soreness. Anthony Davis scored 35 points…and made four three-pointers in the first seven minutes! — but he was on the bench when Knecht took over, having been substituted on the night with more than six minutes left in the fourth quarter.
The future Knecht won’t always be able to take 18 shots when the real games start, Los Angeles has to pray that this explosion remains significant. If he can consistently find opportunities in various tactics (off-catch, off-motion, off-dribble, in transition) and stay defensive, he will help Redick diversify the offense and combat the team’s long-distance spacing. factor. The Lakers drafted the 23-year-old in part because they believed he could be in the rotation right away. One preseason game didn’t go well for them, but this one was extremely encouraging.
Los Angeles’ preseason finale is Friday against the Blonde Environment Warriors.
