Replacing the production of a 21-time All-Star who also doubles as a top-of-the-league passer and cutter is easier said than done, but with fittingly-unspoken chemistry in their first-ever start together, Dalton Knecht and his all-world teammate liked their odds. Sprung free on a pindown screen, Knecht races atop the 3-point arc in hopes of creating something similar for his floor general on a pick-and-roll. Ghost-like in how quickly his slip towards the rim arrives, Knecht — paired with his teammate’s heads-up, in-stride dime — parlays the opportunity into perhaps a tribute-paying tomahawk jam over a pair of Brooklyn Nets defenders. Continuity would eventually win out on the scoreboards, as the Brooklyn Nets’ chemistry and late-game execution allowed them to overcome a talented Los Angeles Lakers group using seldom-seen lineup combinations. A standout nonetheless, Knecht matched heightened expectations with elevation of his own, and a box score that included 19 points (on 8-of-18 shooting), four rebounds, three 3-pointers, and a team-high +10 plus-minus in 41 minutes. · Mar 10, 2025