synnbiob
Related Articles
Dalton Knecht is quickly making a name for himself in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers rookie exploded with a 35-point effort Thursday to lead his team to a comeback win, 128-122, in overtime over the Phoenix Suns.
Knecht scored 20 of the Lakers’ final 22 points, beginning with a free throw with 1:23 to go and Phoenix up four points. He then drilled back-to-back threes to tie the game at 111-111 and force overtime. In the extra frame, Knecht stayed hot with three more deep baskets and a driving layup to seal the victory.
Overall, Knecht tied Anthony Davis with a game-high 35 points. He added seven rebounds, and two steals, and shot eight for 13 from deep in 31 minutes off the bench.
The Lakers selected Knecht with the 17th pick in June’s NBA Draft out of the University of Tennessee. The 23-year-old was the SEC Player of the Year last year as a junior after transferring from Northern Colorado.
The Lakers’ other high-profile draft pick, second-rounder Bronny James, had four points and two rebounds in 17 minutes. The Suns dressed their starting lineup for the game and were led by Devin Booker (22 points) and Kevin Durant (19).
The Lakers open the regular season Tuesday at home against the Timberwolves.
