Dalton Knecht’s 37-point flurry within the Lakers’ win over Utah Jazz on Tuesday night time has propelled him to the highest of the NBA Rookie of the 12 months odds market.
Dalton Knecht Equals File For Most Threes By a Rookie vs Utah Jazz
The LA Lakers stretched their profitable run to 7-0 at house after breezing previous Jazz 124-118 on Tuesday night time.
On a night the place the outdated guard put up large numbers – specifically LeBron James with 26 factors and 12 assists, and Anthony Davis with 26 factors and 14 rebounds – it was rookie Dalton Knecht who stole the limelight.
Six of his 9 record-tying threes got here in a third-quarter barrage because the No. 17 decide put up 21 factors on his approach to registering 37 total and 5 rebounds.
After draining 4 consecutive triples in a two-minute span, Knecht’s supreme confidence was clear to see as he hit the notorious ‘MJ Shrug’ earlier than shaking his capturing arm, as if it have been too sizzling to deal with.
Few would have predicted Knecht’s meteoric rise to stardom after being drafted from Tennessee, though the previous SEC Participant of the 12 months arrived in LA with a lot promise.
November has been a breakout month for the North Dakota native, setting new profession highs on three events within the area of six days.
Sit again and luxuriate in 81 seconds of rookie Dalton Knecht being the most popular shooter alive
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— Barstool Sports activities (@barstoolsports) November 20, 2024
NBA Rookie of the 12 months Odds
Jared McCain +160
Dalton Knecht +250
Zaccharie Risache +1000
Carlton Carrington +1100
Zach Edey +1500
Knecht is averaging 11.3 factors, capturing 43% from three and has a PM of +4.4.
The Lakers have undoubtedly struck gold within the draft as soon as once more, and Knecht has been heralded by his veteran teammates.
“Anytime he makes a shot, it offers us a spark,” Anthony Davis mentioned after the victory over Jazz.
“Clearly it’s at all times higher when he’s at house, the group can get into it however he was phenomenal tonight…Whenever you sizzling like that, 7-9, I believe, from three, man, he’s particular to look at.”
“It’s particular to look at,” LeBron James. “It’s enjoyable. I imply…when a man will get sizzling like that, you are feeling like you can simply throw something into the ocean it’s entering into for certain. DK received it going.”
Though Philadelphia’s Jared McCain nonetheless leads the Rookie of the 12 months odds in keeping with NBA sportsbooks, Knecht’s newest show is proof sufficient of his credentials within the race for the award, and his worth has dropped significantly in a single day.
Who Was the Final LA Laker to Win Rookie of the 12 months?
Technically, no LA Laker has ever received the Rookie of the 12 months Award.
That’s considerably of a misnomer, nonetheless, given Elgin Baylor clinched the distinction when the franchise was nonetheless named the Minneapolis Lakers.
Such is the dearth of historical past on this class for the franchise that Baylor’s win in 1959 stays the one time a Laker has been named Rookie of the 12 months.
That is an eyebrow-raising statistic given the perpetual expertise mill that the Lakers have cultivated down the years.
Maybe Knecht is primed and able to lastly be part of Baylor in Lakers folklore; his 37-point efficiency on Tuesday was the eighth most factors a Lakers rookie has ever scored.
The final Lakers rookie to realize that feat was Kyle Kuzma in 2018.
