The Los Angeles Lakers earned a 119-101 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Rookie Dalton Knecht scored 20 points and added eight rebounds to go along with two steals and an assist in the win. Following the game, Knecht addressed his return to the starting lineup, via Spectrum SportsNet.

“Pretty much he (Lakers head coach JJ Redick) told me I'm going to start,” Knecht said. “‘Just be you. Go out there, be aggressive, shoot the ball.' And you know, whether he said that or not I was going to go do that.”

Knecht was aggressive, taking 15 shots from the field in the game. He ended up going 8-15 from the field and 4-10 from beyond the arc. Knecht was efficient as he remained aggressive, something that is unquestionably a recipe for success for the Lakers.

He also discussed his versatility as a scorer.

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“I'm not just a straight shooter,” Knecht said. “I'm a three-level scorer, I think. I showed that in college. So just keep going out there shooting mid-range, shooting floaters, getting to the rim, dunking, laying it up. Not only just that, but playing the pick-and-roll and hitting my bigs for an easy layup.

Knecht has displayed plenty of confidence. The Lakers rookie is averaging 11.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.5 steals per game so far. He is also shooting 50.7 percent from the field and 43.6 percent on his three-point attempts. Knecht's scoring has played a pivotal role in LA's 11-7 start to the 2024-25 campaign.

Knecht could receive NBA Rookie of the Year consideration if he continues to play at a respectable level. It will be interesting to see how he fares given the long NBA season.

The Lakers will look to add another victory on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game will be especially important as it is an NBA Cup clash.