Dalton Knecht Stats Tonight: How did Lakers' first-round pick fare against Steph Curry's Warriors? (Jan. 25)

Dalton Knecht continued to find time in the rotation for the LA Lakers in Saturday's clash against the Golden State Warriors. Knecht's minutes could have been in jeopardy after Jarred Vanderbilt was set to make his season debut. However, Rui Hachimura's late scratch seemingly allowed Knecht to be in the rotation.

The first-round pick had a relatively decent outing in the first half. Knecht played nearly 10 minutes, scoring seven points (highest off the bench), and adding one rebound. He shot 3 of 5, including 1 of 3 from deep. However, he had a box +/- of -7.

Nevertheless, the Lakers led 59-58 at the half, and Knecht's seven points were critical to their eventual advantage.

Dalton Knecht's defense remained concerning in both halves. However, he compensated for it with his shotmaking in the third quarter. The rookie hit two timely 3s in that period, ensuring the Lakers' lead stayed intact amid the Warriors punching back.

Entering the fourth quarter, Knecht had 13 points, one rebound and one foul. He shot 5 of 7, including 3 of 5 from 3, and had a box +/- of -13. Knecht played briefly in the final frame and didn't impact the game much.

By the end of the game, Dalton Knecht had 13 points, one rebound, one assist, one turnover and one foul. He shot 5 of 9, including 3 of 7 from deep. Knecht finished with a box +/- of -10.

Lakers' Dalton Knecht regains confidence with each game but rookie remains a defensive liability

Dalton Knecht had a rough stretch between December and mid-January. The rookie shot 15.6% from 3 last month. He's improved to 32.4% in January, with an uptick in his offense over the past four games. Knecht has averaged 9.8 points off the bench, shooting 58.3%, including 56.4% from 3 on 4.0 attempts, the highest on the team in that span.

However, Knecht has been heavily one-dimensional. He's been a defensive liability on the floor. Despite the Lakers trying to play him more with defensive lineups, Knecht hasn't been able to step up and execute team schemes. It's becoming a problem for LA as it leans into a defensive identity.

Knecht's defense was one of the key reasons he had the worst +/- for the Lakers against the Warriors. Some of his issues can be chalked off to his lack of experience, but others are based on coverage and his ability to read the floor, which need significant improvement.