Watch Lakers’ rookie Dalton Knecht score 20 straight, force overtime, finish with 35 in win against Suns

“Unbelievable. He can shoot the peel off the ball.”

That is how Devin Booker — top-of-the-line shooters within the sport right now — described Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht after he went off for seven straight factors within the remaining 1:23 of Thursday evening’s preseason sport in opposition to the Suns, forcing extra time, then scoring the subsequent 13 within the further body — making it 20 straight general — to get Los Angeles the win. Knecht completed with 35 factors and eight made 3s.

Whereas this outing ought to get a preseason low cost, the actual fact Knecht did it — and has averaged 18 factors a sport capturing 36% from 3 within the preseason — ought to earn him a spot within the Lakers rotation to start out the season.

The Lakers drafted Knecht No. 17 out of Tennessee as a result of he was arguably one of the best shooter within the draft and Los Angeles was going to want extra capturing in J.J. Redick’s system, the place he needs them to rise up extra 3s. All through the preseason, Redick has stated Knecht is already within the league’s high 1% of shooters.

We’ll see the place Knecht matches within the Lakers rotation beginning subsequent Tuesday evening, once they open the season in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves (a workforce with its personal attention-grabbing rotation questions this season).