Dalton Knecht posted season’s second 30-point performance against the tight defense of Denver.
Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht is already having a roller-coaster season amid struggles and minutes restrictions. He was in the starting lineup for the Lakers against the Denver Nuggets. The depleted Lakers fought hard but suffered a 131-126 defeat on Friday night.
Before a trip to Denver, Dalton Knecht averaged 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 steals over 13 games as a starter this season. He posted season’s second 30-point performance against the tight defense of Denver.
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The Lakers, who played without LeBron James and Luka Donic, outscored the Nuggets 40-32 in the first quarter. Denver pulled it back and held a four-point lead at halftime. The second half was pretty competitive, but and Murry’s clutch play in the final period handed Lakers a fourth-straight loss.
Dalton Knecht tallied 32 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist while shooting 13-for-27 from the floor and 5-for-13 from 3-point range. The rookie forward completed 100 career 3-pointers in his first season of the league.
Dalton Knecht also became the first rookie in Lakers history to record multiple games with 30 points and five 3-pointers. The 17th pick in the 2024 NBA draft had a similar performance on Nov 20. He dropped a season-high 37 points and nine 3-pointers against the Utah Jazz.
The Lakers rookie attempted 27 field goals, breaking his career high in a game. The previous high was 18 on Mar. 10, 2025, against the Nets. He scored 11 points in the final quarter to spark a comeback, but Denver had a late 8-0 run to close the game.
It would be interesting to see how the Lakers move ahead in the idea of trading Dalton Knecht. Bleacher Report claimed that Los Angeles are planning to acquire a center from Utah to boost their roster. The Jazz would reportedly receive Knecht and an unprotected first-round pick from the 2031 draft.
Score: Nuggets 131, Lakers 126
Minutes Played37Points32Rebounds2Assist1Steals0Blocks0Turnovers0FGs13-273Ps5-13FTs1-2
Image Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
