Tom Thibodeau wished his staff to play its greatest basketball on the finish of the season. One in every of his gamers is peaking proper on time for a Knicks staff on its strategy to the primary spherical of the playoffs.
Veteran sharpshooter Landry Shamet scored a season-high 29 factors within the Knicks’ season finale at Barclays Middle on Sunday, a 113-105 victory over the Nets that New York’s starters watched from the bench. The mark fell two factors shy of his career-high (31) and is probably the most he’s scored in a sport since Christmas Day 2022.
Shamet made seven of his first 9 makes an attempt from three-point vary earlier than cooling off and ending 7-of-13 from downtown on the evening. The seven made threes additionally fell two shy of his career-high of 9 threes made on Dec. 20, 2022.
“It’s what he does,” stated teammate Miles McBride. “He works hard. We see it all the time. It’s not a surprise.”
Shamet is averaging 11.6 factors per sport since March 25, a scoring fee trumping any particular person season of his profession. He scored 15 factors in Friday’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and 20 factors within the April 1 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
His 47.4 % three-point clip ranks fourth-most environment friendly amongst all qualifying NBA gamers since March 25, trailing solely San Antonio’s Harrison Barnes, Oklahoma Metropolis’s Isaiah Joe and Sacramento’s Zach LaVine.
“The way he finished the season was terrific. He just makes really good basketball plays,” Thibodeau stated after Sunday’s victory over the Nets. “He knows how to space the floor, how to move without the ball, he’s good in transition, knows how to play off people. He doesn’t force things. When he’s open he shoots, and when he’s guarded he makes the right play. I think that goes a long way. He has the ability to think on his feet and he’s a great competitor.”
The Knicks signed Shamet to an Exhibit-10 coaching contract, then waived him after he suffered a dislocated shoulder on his taking pictures arm within the preseason. New York’s G-League affiliate Westchester Knicks staff then chosen him second-overall within the 2025 G-League Draft and oversaw his rehab earlier than the Knicks re-signed him to a remainder of the 12 months deal.
The endurance has paid off. Shamet, who has been a contributor on a variety of playoff groups, provides much-needed depth to a Knicks staff that ranked dead-last in bench scoring.
PLAYOFF ROTATIONS
Thibodeau stated shortening his rotations for the playoff is just not a troublesome activity.
“You just do what’s best for the team,” he stated.
The Knicks are projected to play their starters — Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Cities — heavy minutes, with Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride giving Brunson and Cities breaks on the one and 5, whereas Bridges, Anunoby and Hart log lengthy minutes on the wings.
That leaves Shamet, veteran guard Cameron Payne, and backup ahead Treasured Achiuwa obtainable for eighth, ninth and tenth males off the bench. Thibodeau had no concern with the concept of slicing his rotation to eight or seven gamers for the playoffs.
“Most teams do,” he stated. “I know you guys are aware of that, being veteran experienced playoff writers, you understand that.”
OLD STOMPING GROUNDS
Bridges signed his jersey within the Barclays Middle customer’s locker room — international territory in an area he as soon as referred to as residence — and had it despatched to his “twin” and former teammate Cam Johnson after Sunday’s win over the Nets.
The previous Nets star stated he appreciated his time in Brooklyn earlier than the Nets despatched him to the Knicks for a haul of 5 first-round picks plus gamers who matched Bridges’ wage.
“I always love playing here, my teammates here, a lot of guys still here, the coaching staff before I got traded,” he stated. “I was with them in the summer before I got out of there, and they’re great people, too. The staff, the workers, it’s a great energy when I walk into here.”
