The Los Angeles Lakers return home Tuesday, where they will put a season-best five-game winning streak on the line against the Utah Jazz in an NBA Cup West Group B game. The Lakers have taken advantage of undermanned teams of late, with victories in the winning streak coming over the Philadelphia 76ers without Joel Embiid, the Memphis Grizzlies without Ja Morant and the New Orleans Pelicans sans CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray on Saturday. In the 104-99 victory at New Orleans, the Lakers had their own personnel issues to overcome, with Cam Reddish (foot) and Rui Hachimura (ankle) both out.
Rookie Dalton Knecht started and scored a career-best 27 points. Over his past three games, two of them starts, Knecht has averaged 20.0 points in 31.
5 minutes per game. He was 5 of 10 from 3-point range against the Pelicans and has gone 12 of 19 (63.2 percent) in his three-game productive stretch.
"Every time (Knecht) shoots the ball, I think it's going in," said the Lakers' Anthony Davis, who had 31 points and 14 rebounds against his former team. "That's why we get so frustrated and upset with him when he doesn't shoot. He's a great player.
He can defend, he can shoot, he can put it on the floor, he can pass. So he can do it all." Lakers veteran LeBron James shook off a slow start to score 21 points and deliver big baskets down the stretch.
He is averaging 23.3 points, 9.2 assists and 8.
6 rebounds in his 22nd season. The Jazz have been better of late, but are coming off a second consecuti.
