After not getting into the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Golden State Warriors, Dalton Knecht was back in the rotation on Friday and provided a spark for his team.
With the Lakers falling into an early deficit against the New Orleans Pelicans, Dalton Knecht came in and scored 10 quick points to get his team back on track. He finished with 12 points off the bench on 5-of-10 shooting in what ended up being an easy victory for L.A.
Having been in and out of the rotation though, Knecht spoke about his focus when he does get on the court.
“Mainly just when my name is called, go out there and be me,” he said. “Be ready to shoot and my teammates have my back every single time I step out on the court. They want me to be aggressive and that’s what I kind of do, so shoutout to all my vets.”
Knecht has the ability to rip off a bunch of quick points for the Lakers do to his shooting ability, and he knows it doesn’t take much for him to get hot.
“When the first one goes in,” Knecht said of when he could feel himself warming up. “I had the putback and then the 3 and Bron was looking for me the whole entire time, so Bron, Luka and AR make it really easy for you to get open shots and get yourself going.”
Shooting is a valuable trait in today’s NBA, especially when playing around ball-dominant stars like the Lakers have in Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Because of that, Knecht feels he is the perfect fit on this team and just wants to contribute in any way possible.
“I think I fit good,” the rookie said. “I’m a shooter and not only just that, I can go down and create my own shot and attack the rim and also play in the pick-and-roll with them. I think I just try to help them as much as I can.”
Dalton Knecht enjoys being fan favorite
There was a huge applause when Dalton Knecht entered the game on Friday as his ability to get hot at any time has made him a favorite amongst Lakers fans. He spoke about how special that is and his desire to show out for the fans when he steps on the court.
“It’s real cool that I’m a fan favorite,” Knecht said. “So every time I step out on the court and hear them cheer, I try to go out and put on a show for them. I think that’s what all of us try to do, just go put on a show for the Lakers. They have a great fanbase.”
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
