"Saved the lakers season": Fans hail Dalton Knecht after he becomes 1st Lakers rookie in 30 years to notch shooting milestone

Lakers fans were thrilled after Dalton Knecht played a pivotal role in the team’s hard-fought 104-99 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. Facing the challenge of a second game in a back-to-back, the Lakers needed their role players to step up against an injury-depleted Pelicans team on the road.

With LeBron James and Austin Reaves struggling offensively, Knecht rose to the occasion with a career-best performance. The former Tennessee standout set a career-high in points and became the first Lakers rookie since Nick Van Exel in 1994 to hit five 3-pointers in consecutive games.

Knecht’s stellar performance sent social media into a frenzy, with countless Lakers fans hailing the rookie as a potential game-changer for the season.

"Saved the lakers season," a fan wrote.

"And people passed on him cause he was “too old” lmaooo why wouldn’t you want an nba ready guy," another fan commented.

"A serious contender for rookie of the year with a playoff contending team that’s crazy," another user wrote.

"After starting out slow, Knecht now lead all rookies in 3FG% 40.4% (minimum of 25 threes attempted) The Lakers may have drafted the steal of the NBA draft," commented another.

"Knecht being as good as he is right away is making certain players on the bench irrelevant," wrote another.

"Knecht is already a better scorer and rebounder than Rui. The defense is a wash and I think Knecht has a better chance of competing there than Rui," commented another X user.

Dalton Knecht vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Dalton Knecht earned his third career start on Saturday and delivered a standout performance, rewarding coach JJ Redick’s confidence in him. Knecht finished with 27 points, shooting an impressive 10 of 17 from the field, including 5 of 10 from beyond the arc.

With the Lakers shorthanded due to the absences of Rui Hachimura and Cam Reddish, Knecht seized the opportunity and made a significant impact on both ends of the floor, particularly with his activity on the glass.

The former Northern Colorado standout added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals to his stat line while hitting both of his free throw attempts. Knecht also posted a team-best plus/minus of +11, highlighting his vital contribution to the Lakers’ success.