SAN ANTONIO — Struggles for Shamet as Knicks Claim Title
Not too long ago, Landry Shamet seemed unstoppable, hitting shots with ease.
However, he’s now a shadow of that former self as a crucial member of the Knicks’ bench. Lately, his performance has been lackluster, and the Knicks’ reserves are struggling to contribute.
This became increasingly evident during Saturday night’s 94-90 Game 5, where the team secured the championship. Shamet, visibly lacking confidence, managed to make only two of seven attempts.
The Knicks’ bench didn’t score until late in the third quarter when Jordan Clarkson finally got one through. They had missed their first 14 shots, a poor start that really hurt their momentum.
In contrast, Spurs player Dylan Harper had a stellar game, tallying 25 points and surpassing the entire Knicks reserve team.
Shamet had carved a position for himself in the playoff mix during the Eastern Conference semifinals, especially when OG Anunoby was sidelined with a minor injury. Initially, he had promising games in the Finals, scoring 13 points each in the first two matches and hitting 6-of-13 three-pointers. Yet, a downward trend followed; he was just 1-of-11 in the two games leading up to Game 5, and it didn’t look any better this time around.
Reflecting on past games, Shamet said, “It was a great process. He showed great looks, but there were some games where he was out of shape and out.” He continued, “Process over results. I’m frustrated with some of the defensive lapses. We had some moments where we fell short. But sometimes, you know, there are ups and downs, and the shots just don’t go in.”
It wasn’t solely Shamet who had issues shooting. McBride struggled as well, going 4-of-20 in his first four games and failing to make both attempts on Saturday. Then there was Clarkson, who had limited involvement, and after a solid Game 4, Jose Alvarado couldn’t find his rhythm, missing all five of his shots.
Ultimately, none of this made a difference in the grand scheme. The Knicks celebrated an end to a 53-year championship drought, a thrilling, if imperfect, achievement.
