With so many injuries throughout the roster, the Los Angeles Lakers had just 10 players in uniform for their game against the Portland Trail Blazers on the second night of a back-to-back. Three of those were two-way players leaving second-year guard Dalton Knecht as the only player off the Lakers’ bench who has gotten regular rotation minutes in the past.
Knecht has often shined when put into a larger role and he undoubtedly had his best game of the young season with 16 points off the bench, all coming in the second half. It wasn’t enough to help the Lakers get a victory as they fell to the Trail Blazers, but after the game Knecht said he felt good and is thankful for his teammates and coaches always having belief in him.