Dalton Knecht Stats Tonight: How did Lakers rookie fare on Christmas Day debut against Warriors? (Dec. 25)

LA Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht made his Christmas Day debut on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors. After falling down the pecking order amid a shooting slump, Knecht got significant minutes early against the Warriors after Anthony Davis went down with an injury in the first quarter.

Knecht was active on the offensive and defensive end, making a corner 3 and attacking the rim in a 2-for-3 shooting display in his first minutes.

After the first quarter, Knecht had five points, one rebound, one assist and a block on 2-of-3 shots, including 1-of-2 from deep. He continued his hot start in the second quarter, adding six points to his total, shooting 2-of-3 again.

Dalton Knecht had 11 points, five rebounds, one assist and one steal on 4-of-6 shots, including 1-of-3 from deep and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. He was a +/- +12 (team-high) at halftime.

Knecht had a relatively quiet second half. He only added two points in that stretch, shooting 1-of-3. He was impactful on the boards again, though. Knecht grabbed two more rebounds and added another assist.

Dalton Knecht finished his first Christmas Day game with 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one block and +/- +13. He shot 5-of-9, including 1-of-5 from 3 and 2-of-2 from the free throw line.

The Lakers won the contest 115-113 behind an Austin Reaves game-winner.

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Dalton Knecht couldn't have picked a better game to rediscover his rhythm

Dalton Knecht's stock has been in a free fall since December. He has had seven games where he failed to make a 3, including a stretch of five consecutive games. Knecht hasn't made more than one 3 in 10 out of 11 outings this month. He couldn't make a difference in other areas, either.

As a result, his minutes drastically fell in favor of more productive players like Max Christie, Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish. However, Knecht seized the opportunity in Wednesday's thriller against the Golden State Warriors, with Anthony Davis exiting the game after seven minutes and D'Angelo Russell sidelined.

Midway through the second quarter, he was the first player on the floor to score in double digits and lead both teams in scoring. Knecht had a more impressive shift defensively than his previous outings and a better game on the glass.

His activity gave the Lakers extra possessions at crucial stages, which helped them get back in the game after an eight-point first-quarter deficit and retain the lead once they turned things around in the second quarter.