PHILADELPHIA — In a game where the Knicks desperately needed someone to step up, Landry Shamet answered the call in a big way. With star wing OG Anunoby sidelined due to a hamstring strain, head coach Mike Brown turned to his veteran three-and-D specialist, and Shamet delivered a performance that had Madison Square Garden buzzing.
Shamet, who averaged just nine minutes per game in the Knicks' first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks and logged only 20 total minutes in Games 1 and 2 against the 76ers, exploded for 15 points on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting from the field in 26 minutes of action. His hard-nosed defense and timely scoring were key factors in the Knicks' Game 3 victory, proving that depth is crucial in the playoff grind.
"Yeah, it felt good, felt good to get in there with my teammates, felt good to get a win," Shamet said at his locker after the win on Friday. "We got one more, one more in a matter of hours, really. So trying to get our bodies right, get our minds right and try to go get one."
Shamet's journey this season has been anything but smooth. After dislocating his shoulder during preseason play—his second significant shoulder injury in as many years—he fell out of Brown's rotation midseason. Despite heavy minutes around the All-Star break, he saw limited action in the first round against the Hawks. But when the Knicks ruled Anunoby out 90 minutes before tipoff and announced Miles McBride as the starter, Brown had a plan.
Brown subbed Shamet in for Mikal Bridges at the 3:03 mark of the first quarter, and from there, Shamet played 26 of the game's remaining 39 minutes. His performance was a testament to the "next man up" mentality that defines championship-caliber teams.
"As a coach, you love to see it, and that's why you give different guys opportunities at different times," said Brown. "Sometimes, you start Landry. Sometimes, you start [rookie] Mo [Diawara]. Sometimes, you start this guy, and what it hopefully shows at the end of the day coming from me is that I have confidence in them, and not only that—your number can be called any time, so be ready. And our guys have taken that to heart."
Shamet is quick to deflect credit, noting that he didn't replace Anunoby's impact alone. The star wing, who is averaging 21 points on better than 60% shooting from the field and 50% from deep in the playoffs, remains day-to-day with the hamstring injury. But for one night, Shamet proved that when the spotlight shines brightest, he's ready to shine right along with it.