Lakers rookie returns to starting lineup in Win Over Spurs

In mid-November, the Lakers made the decision to start rookie Dalton Knecht with others injured, hoping to continue his winning streak by adding shooting to the elixir with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

It was a huge hit as Knecht put up 23.8 points on 60% shooting over the next four games, and topped off with 37 points against the Jazz, where he scored 22 straight.

In his two games prior to Wednesday night’s showdown with San Antonio, Knecht had been benched due to the return of Rui Hachimura, a puzzling return from the Lakers given the rookie’s success in the first five.

In those two games, the former Volunteer failed to recapture the magic of his previous stretch, shooting just 5-for-14 overall in the two losses.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles made the right decision to restore him to the starting lineup alongside James and Davis, and it paid off in both a great night for Knecht and a win for the purple and gold.

Knecht scored 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting, connected on four triples and added eight rebounds, two steals and an assist. He finished with a +9 plus-minus in the win over Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs.

This time it was D’Angelo Russell who was benched in favor of Knecht. Whether it’s Russell, Reddish or others, it seems advantageous for the Lakers to continue to give Knecht heavy minutes alongside James and Davis.

The Lakers next take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, November 29.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay updated on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.