The Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as one of the best teams in the NBA over the last month, going 11-3 since acquiring Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. The team has had the best defense in the NBA and looks very tough to beat even though Doncic has struggled to adjust instantly with rough shooting nights. This is a credit to JJ Redick, LeBron James, and the entire roster as a whole.
Rookie Dalton Knecht was asked about the team’s fantastic record with Doncic, revealing that he isn’t surprised they’ve won 11 out of 13 but the fact they somehow lost two of those games.
John Ireland: “If I told you that the Lakers are 11-2 since Feb 1st (the Luka trade), would you have looked at me like I was nuts?”
Dalton Knecht: “Nah, I would have told you I was surprised we lost the two games.”
Dalton Knecht wouldn’t have been a part of this Lakers’ success right now if the team’s acquisition of Mark Williams was completed. Knecht was traded to the Charlotte Hornets but returned to the Lakers amidst a sea of attention after the trade was rescinded.
Knecht has professionally moved forward and contributed massively in the Lakers’ 108-102 win over the Clippers with 19 points.
To be fair, the two losses Knecht is discussing were incredibly ugly for the Lakers. One came to the Utah Jazz as Doncic looked terrible and couldn’t carry the team without LeBron James. The other loss came to the Charlotte Hornets where Luka struggled once again although LeBron had a great individual game.
Since those two losses came on either end of the All-Star break, the team has won six straight games with some marquee wins over the likes of the Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and twice against the Los Angeles Clippers.
With Doncic hitting his stride in recent games, the Lakers’ fortunes are looking even brighter. They have a tricky schedule over the next few weeks but they’re looking like a formidable team that could win multiple games over their upcoming stretch.
This will be a major challenge, especially if the team is without Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, with both picking up injuries over the last week. Maybe Doncic’s return to form can mitigate their lost production, but the Lakers rotation will have a lot to do to keep the team competitive enough for the No. 2 seed in the West.
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