The Los Angeles Lakers have won five straight games to move to 9-4 on the season after defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 104-99 on Saturday night. Best of all, they’ve done this while dealing with a few injuries that have led to various players being called upon to step into bigger roles.
One player whose number has been called often by head coach JJ Redick in the past two games is rookie first-round draft pick Dalton Knecht. On Saturday night, Knecht did more than just answer the call; he had a coming-out party.
With Rui Hachimura and Cam Reddish both sidelined, Knecht remained in the starting lineup for the second consecutive game and poured in 27 points.
Knecht’s breakout performance was integral in helping the Lakers pick up another road victory. While teammate Anthony Davis had high praise for the former Tennessee Volunteer, he also had an interesting admission about the rookie.
Davis, who led the Lakers in scoring again against the Pelicans with 31 points, wants to see Knecht shoot early and often. So much so, that the 31-year-old said he gets “frustrated and upset” when his teammate doesn’t shoot, as Lakers Nation detailed.
“Every time he shoots the ball, we think it’s gonna go in,” Davis said on Saturday. “That’s why we get so frustrated and upset when he doesn’t shoot. He’s a great player.”
If your nine-time All-Star teammate is upset about you not taking enough shots, it’s a tip of the cap for a rookie making an early impression.
Knecht wasn’t shy about firing away in the win over the Pelicans, as he knocked down 10-of-17 attempts from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range. He finished the night as the Lakers’ second-leading scorer behind Davis and tacked on seven rebounds, two assists and two steals for good measure.
The Lakers’ 9-4 record leaves them tied for third in the Western Conference with the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns. After back-to-back road games on Friday and Saturday night, they head back to Los Angeles for the next three games and begin the homestand on Tuesday against the Utah Jazz.