There have been a few times this season where bench players who were out of the rotation stepped up when called on, and in Game 3 against the 76ers, Landry Shamet delivered for the Knicks.
The guard led the Knicks’ bench in scoring with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 2-for-3 from three. He was also a game-high plus-20 in the Knicks’ 108-94 win, which gave them a commanding 3-0 series lead.
“Landry hasn’t played a drop all playoffs,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said after the win. “The first game, he was in the rotation, second game a little bit, and then he was out. Six, seven games that he hasn’t seen significant minutes on the court. Landry was huge for us tonight. Huge for us on both ends of the floor.”
With OG Anunoby out with a hamstring strain, Shamet was moved up in the rotation and was given big minutes.
When the Sixers took a 31-27 lead after a physical first quarter, Shamet helped turn the tide. He began the second quarter with Karl-Anthony Towns as the only starter and was on the floor for most of the run that helped New York flip a 12-point deficit into a 12-point lead.
“We talked about it the last few days. We knew they would,” Shamet said of withstanding the Sixers’ play early. “Coming back home down 2-0, you’re going to have a sense of desperation. That was coach’s sentiment this week… They played really well, scored the ball really well early. We weren’t as physical as we needed to be. Made a couple of adjustments and picked up our physicality and presence defensively, and it helped us.”
From the final minutes of the first quarter — which saw Shamet hit a three to cut the Knicks’ deficit to just four points — and through the second, Shamet scored nine total points in a combined 13 minutes.
“We needed a spark when they hit us in the mouth and Landry gave it to us,” Brown said. “It was a big game on the road and it didn’t phase him. It was a lot of fun to watch.”
On Friday, Shamet played 26 minutes. That’s more than the first two games of this series (20). And while he received some minutes in the blowout wins against the Hawks in the first round, Game 3 against the Sixers was the most meaningful of Shamet’s playoffs so far this season, and it’s not easy. For a player who was once in the rotation to turn it on when the team needs them, especially in the postseason.
But the Knicks and coach Brown continued to show their faith in Shamet and others like Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado, who have seen their minutes go up and down this year, has paid off.
“As a coach, you love to see it. Sometimes you start Landry, sometimes you start [Mohammed Diawara]…at the end of the day, coming from me, that I have confidence in them,” Brown said of players being ready. “Not only that, your number can be called at any time and you need to be ready. They’ve done a good job of keeping their mind and staying present in whatever we’re doing. It’s showing whenever they get the opportunity. It’s shown with Jordan, it’s shown with Jose and it’s shown with Landry…Just a fantastic job by Landry tonight.”
“Landry is the ultimate professional,” Josh Hart said of Shamet’s play. “Being out of the rotation and giving us big minutes offensively and defensively.”
“Just stay ready. Your number’s called, you just stay ready,” Shamet said. “Felt good to be out there with my teammates. Felt good to get a win. We got one more in a matter of hours, really.”
With Anunoby’s status for Game 4 on Sunday still unknown, Shamet could receive more opportunities. If Friday’s win is any indication, Shamet will be ready if when needed.
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