Dalton Knecht Ties NBA Rookie Record With 9 3-Pointers Wows Fans As Lakers Beat Jazz | News, results, highlights, stats and rumours

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 19: Dalton Knecht #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring his fourth straight 3-pointer against the Utah Jazz during the third quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup at Crypto.com Arena on November 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. NOTICE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and or using this photograph, User consents to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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Rookie of the Year hype for Dalton Knecht is set to get louder after he scored 37 points on 9-of-12 three-point shooting in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 124-118 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.

Making his third straight start with Rui Hachimura on the sidelines due to an ankle injury, Knecht has provided a huge boost to the offense. He scored 21 of the Lakers’ 40 points in the third quarter against the Jazz and went 6-of-6 from behind the arc.

Knecht’s nine three-pointers bound The NBA rookie record, previously done three times. He also scored 22 consecutive points for the Lakers from the end of the third quarter to the beginning of the fourth quarter.

The hype train for Knecht as the next great Lakers player has officially left the station now based on the response to his efforts Tuesday night.

Bleacher Report @Bleacher Report

Dalton Knecht was UNSTOPPABLE
37 PTS
9 3 PM
12-16 FG
The Lakers got one at No. 17 pic.twitter.com/3IX6yidjp3

StatMuse @status

Dalton Knecht tonight:
37 PTS (21 in 3Q)
5 ROPE
0 TOV
12-16 FG
9-12 3P (T-Most Ever by a Rookie)
The first rookie with 35+ PTS, 0 TOV and 75+ FG% since Blake Griffin. pic.twitter.com/tzMvOSjX1D

4đť™­ champion @MANOMAGlC

NBA GMs look to their head scouts after seeing Dalton Knecht pic.twitter.com/nd0VPIXp4k

Reputation @JustRyCole

Dalton Knecht can’t go back to the bench

Arash Markazi @Arash Markazi

Dalton Knecht hit FOUR straight threes and did Michael Jordan on his shoulders. Amazing. pic.twitter.com/pP7zjQYLRR

Wes Rucker @wesrucker247

It’s 1:11 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, and several NBA teams are still comically stupid for letting Dalton Knecht fall to No. 17 in the draft.
Some of them had more than one chance not to be stupid, but they chose to be stupid.

Yaya Dubin @JADubin5

Imagine you’re Dalton Knecht, and like 10 games into your career, you go on such a heater that you have LeBron James dancing like a maniac on the bench.

Colb @__Colb____

The New Orleans Pelicans deferred their draft pick from the Lakers until 2025.
The Lakers were able to draft Dalton Knecht this year.
Once again, shoutout to the Pelicans for making the Lakers better.

Since scoring just two points on 1-of-8 shooting in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 8, Knecht has been red-hot as his role has expanded. He is averaging 20.4 points on 66.7 percent three-point shooting in his last five games.

This has created a good problem for head coach JJ Redick to deal with. Hachimura had a solid start to the season and relies on his defensive versatility, but Knecht elevates the offense for a team that doesn’t have many knockdown shooters.

Even with Knecht’s recent stretch, the Lakers are still average sixth-fewest threes per game in the NBA (33.6).

Regardless of what Redick chooses to do with the lineup, the Lakers seem to have some things figured out after their four-game losing streak. They have now won six in a row, including both of their NBA Cup games so far.

This six-game run has come against a favorable schedule, with the Memphis Grizzlies (8-7) the only team currently with a winning record that the Lakers have defeated. Four of their wins have come against the Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans. That quartet has a combined record of 12-45.

Things start to get tougher for the Lakers starting Thursday when they host the Orlando Magic. That starts a stretch where they’ll also play the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder over the next nine days.

Knecht’s hot shooting couldn’t have come at a better time as the Lakers prepare to run an intense slate of quality opponents. They have moved up to third in the Western Conference standings, trailing the Golden State Warriors (10-3) by just one game in the loss column for the top spot.