Being a rookie is never easy and this is currently the case for Dalton Knecht as part of the Los Angeles Lakers. His first NCA season has already been somewhat of a remarkable one. With many ups and downs in play, it's good to see that the young player has retained his confidence, and maintains a positive attitude through this rather difficult period. Here's how it went.
Hitting the highs
At one point, Knecht was part of the key rotation, an important player within the team. Right near the start he showed out in front of Kevin Durant, Knecht's idol. On top of that, he impressed a home Lakers crowd with 37 points in a single game. As such, the first half of his season was a strong one. But then things began to go wrong.
And then the lows
From the highs of the beginning of the season, Knecht had a lengthy slump in form, which only served to see him benched for a time. During this slump, he missed shots and even messed up a play, with viral videos showing an upset Lakers bench. However, even when he was doing well, his minutes were cut, making him more a player that was plugging in holes, rather than one deserving of a place in the rotation off his own merit and rights. From there, he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets before the deal was rescinded, and he was returned to the Lakers. The return, may have been a good move in the end, as it offered him the chance to actually get some game time again. And it possibly showed the Lakers what a mistake they almost made with this rookie.
Back to form
Once he was back at the Lakers, teammates Hachimura, Reaves and Goodwin were all out of the main lineup, which meant Knecht was back in. As such, he was able to play the most minutes since the end of December in a game. And during this time of play (24 minutes), he managed to score 19 points. This was the most points he had made in a game for over a month. Finally, Knecht began to look comfortable again, and this was the first time he'd done so since the trade with the Hornets had been rescinded.
Being able to get back into the flow of the Lakers defense and offense was essential, and Knecht was open about his ability to get that back. He managed to remain confident, and get his groove back to truly play. Importantly, while he had taken some knocks over the season, Knecht has remained confident in his own abilities allowing him to bounce back in style.
On top of this, he's also been able to see what an All-Stars Weekend feels like. He looked at ease playing alongside some of the other top players, and enjoyed his time back on the court, which is likely the best thing for his mindset and game progression. This March, he's actually in the middle of the best month he's had with the Lakers, showing how consistent he can be when scoring as well as defending at an exceptional level, anchoring the Lakers in the upcoming season.
Of course, the Lakers have undergone some major changes during the season, too. And this is especially since his last rotation. This is particularly noticeable for the defensive side of things, which is where previously, Knecht was struggling to retain his rhythm. With extended absences from Reaves, Goodwin, and Hachimura, it's going to be even more important for Knecht to be a strong part of the team to fill some of these gaps.
Armed with this knowledge regarding Knecht, and the recent change in form, viewers and bettors can make more educated and informed bets when watching the upcoming games. Of course, like playing slots, table games and live dealer games, betting on sports requires keeping up-to-date on all the latest developments. As such, staying in the known on player form and team performance is always key. And as Knecht has shown, just because a player has a bad stint, doesn't mean they won't rebound later on in the season and do better.
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