To say Dalton Knecht was phenomenal tonight would still feel like it’s not enough. In his 32 minutes off the bench, the Lakers’ No. 17 pick exploded for 35 points – the same number that Anthony Davis clinched in 34 minutes on the floor. But the true Knecht performance started after his triple over the 7’3 Bol Bol to force the game into overtime. Thereon, it could very well have been “The Matrix”.

Dalton Knecht was in complete control of the game, pouring in buckets like no tomorrow. Out of Los Angeles’ 15 points in OT, 13 was Knecht’s. The Suns squad combined for just nine points during the time. Needless to say, praises and congratulatory messages popped up all over social media. And LeBron James was not behind in his praise for the Lakers rookie, either.

In fact, his four-word praise further served to establish that JJ Redick’s beliefs and claims about Knecht weren’t just empty words. “CANNON!!!!!!! That boy COLD!!!!” Bron wrote on a post by the Lakers’ IG handle. And in the process, he may have just given him a nickname. The post in question had the caption, “35 points, 13 in overtime — way to go rook,” followed by a salute emoji.

Post-game, Knecht elaborated on what pushed him to step up like that for the team. “He said LeBron and AD told him “it’s time” to take over during the fourth quarter,” Lakers Nation tweeted. The fourth quarter also saw Dalton score the most points – 12 – as he went a perfect 3-of-3 from downtown. For his outstanding performance, Davis ensured that he got his hands on the ball game to present it to Knecht. The Tennessee alum also did justice to his coach’s bold claim to Reggie Miller ahead of the matchup.

What did Reggie Miller say about Dalton Knecht?

Reportedly, JJ Redick had a pre-game conversation with the Pacers legend, and it seems like Miller, widely recognized as one of the greatest shooters himself, did not consider Dalton Knecht to be among the elite shooters. But the Lakers head coach had an answer for the 5x All-Star. “Reggie [Miller] and I were talking before the game and he was like, ‘It’s high praise to say he’s in the top 1% of shooters …’ Well, nah, he’s in the top 1%. … That was supernatural what he just did,” Redick said, as per Dave McMenamin.

Aside from Knecht’s whopping 35 points, the rook grabbed seven rebounds and had one assist as he shot 55.6% from the field, 61.5% from beyond the arc, and 87.5% from the charity stripe. Watching Dalton carry his hot streak from the last moments of the fourth quarter to overtime, practically the whole bench, including LeBron and AD, leaped off their seats in pure ecstasy.

It was an electrifying performance, and hopefully, it’s a sign of what we can expect going into the regular season. On a lighter note, what do you think Dalton’s nickname should be? Tell us in the comments.