One of the key storylines from Thursday night wasn’t just that the Los Angeles Lakers secured their first win of the 2024-25 NBA preseason against the Milwaukee Bucks, but also rookie Dalton Knetch‘s shooting struggles. After the game, Knetch shared the encouraging messages he received from JJ Redick and LeBron James.
“When I was on the sidelines, Bron was telling me to just keep shooting it. He don’t care what I shoot. Same with JJ, they said that they don’t really care what I shoot. Just keep letting them fly. I know that’s my best thing is (to) keep shooting it and letting it fly with confidence so having that is real good,” Knetch said in the post-match press conference.
Knetch also addressed the way they got their first win, aiming to do so in the Finals for this season: “We got that game ball for him. The first one (victory) is cool, we’ll be there June 5th (when NBA Finals 2025 begin) and we’ll give them some more.”
Despite being the second-highest scorer behind Rui Hachimura, Knetch’s shooting accuracy was underwhelming, particularly in the second half, where LeBron did not play.
In 34 minutes, Knetch scored 13 points, shooting 50% on 2-point attempts (3 of 6) but struggling from beyond the arc, hitting only 2 of 10 three-pointers, all taken in the second half, for a 20% conversion rate. Despite his shooting struggles, he contributed with eight rebounds and four assists.
A grateful surprise from another youngster
With the Lakers trailing 74-82 in the third quarter, head coach JJ Redick rested his stars, sitting Hachimura, LeBron, and Anthony Davis for the remainder of the game. A comeback seemed unlikely, but one young player stepped up to turn the tide.
23-year-old guard Quincy Olivari stepped on the court, happening to be a game changer. He managed to score 11 points, grabbed five rebounds and had two assists during a 9-minute 24-second shift, helping lead the Lakers to their first preseason win.
Olivari, on an “Exhibit 10” contract expected to send him to the G-League during the regular season, surprised everyone with his performance. It remains to be seen if he’s earned not only a standard minimum deal but a place in Redick’s plans for the upcoming season.