Oh so close. The Los Angeles Lakers emptied their bench tonight against the Denver Nuggets. Aside from their injuries, even Luka Doncic was out for the back-to-back. Yet, the depleted roster nearly did something unthinkable. For a moment, they had the Nuggets beat. And one of the stars of the show was Dalton Knecht.

The nearly traded rookie took flight to extend the Lakers rare lead in the fourth quarter. However, as he did, Knecht slipped off the rim, landing awkwardly on his head. Immediately, the Laker announcers expressed concerns regarding the fall. “Oh, that’s a nasty fall. Hopefully he’s okay,” they said.

For those moments even the Nuggets fans at the Ball Arena held their breaths in prayer. JJ Redick rushed to check whether the Lakers’ first-round pick was okay. Luckily, after taking his time on the floor and some medical attention, Dalton Knecht was back on his feet and ready to play.

It’s great that he did. However, it’s also astonishing to see how quickly the Lakers rookie was able to continue. It could be because of the adrenaline running through him. The dunk was part of an electric Lakers sequence after all. But now that the game is over and he settles in, the pain could start to sting. As the announcers said, “he’s going to have a massive headache,”.

But regardless of the outcome, the moment of energy from Knecht provided the Lakers with some hope. The game had swung for both sides in the fourth quarter. The rookie’s athletic finish gave the Lakers a three-point lead with under a minute remaining. Sadly, a critical turnover robbed the injury-riddled Lakers side from forging one of the great stories this season.

But even though they may have lost, intuition says JJ Redick will be a happy man.

The Lakers’ immense heart came close to spoiling an ‘easy’ win for the Nuggets

Playing without LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Hachimura, and Hayes, everybody had written off the Purple and Gold from even challenging the fully healthy Nuggets. They were devoid of their firepower after all. Instead, though, all the players who got a chance to be the mainstays weren’t intimidated. They came ready to send a message.

After surging to get the game close by the end of the third quarter, the Lakers began the fourth by packing a huge punch. Dalton Knecht ran off for six straight points. It really felt like this was the sequence that would turn the tide. The Lakers rookie finished the game with 32 points, 11 of those coming in the fourth quarter.

And as he has many times, Redick could once again rely on Austin Reaves. The crafty guard dropped a massive double-double with 37 points and 13 assists. The Lakers as a contingent though had one thing in common. They all showcased incredible effort, fighting possession after possession.

That was exactly what Redick asked for after the loss to the Bucks. He was satisfied with the Lakers’ competitive spirit in their last game. Execution is where he felt they lacked. Well, tonight although it may have been inconsistent, the young Lakers’ side only committed 8 turnovers and pushed the Nuggets to their limits.

Unfortunately, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic wiped off the lead within seconds, scoring six points before Jordan Goodwin’s error. But still, the Lakers had a fighting chance until the final buzzer went off. Considering the limitations Redick had tonight, it sent an encouraging message to the league.

The Lakers aren’t just about LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Each player is willing to adjust and take on a greater role if necessary. Moreover, their will is impenetrable. No matter the adversity, their aim remains to win games and that mentality came close to stunning Nikola Jokic and Co.