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And then there’s OG Anunoby, the Knicks’ subtlest lynchpin. The guy who went for 17 points and 11 rebounds in the Game 5 blowout. The guy who has destroyed the Hawks on the glass, averaging 9.0 boards a game. The guy who has hit more than half of his 3-pointers against Atlanta. The guy who is slicing Atlanta to death, who has mastered how to move the defense without the basketball, who is averaging 20 points during this series, even though he’s run only seven pick-and-rolls over these five games, according to Second Spectrum. For perspective, Landry Shamet, a little-used spot-up shooter who exited New York’s rotation after Game 2, has run eight. “He impacts (the game) in ways that you can’t even really tell,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said. “Because it doesn’t show up in the stat sheet.”
Brown prefers to sit both Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns for the starts of the second and fourth quarters rather than stagger them and have one on the court. The lineup he uses instead — with Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson and Mitchell Robinson on the floor — struggled in the Knicks’ 107-106 Game 2 loss to the Hawks on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. “We’ve played that lineup quite a bit at the end of the season,” Brown said. “That lineup’s been pretty good. We weren’t good tonight and we turned the ball over a few too many times during that period. But we had opportunities where our starters were in, and we were up eight to 10 [points] and Atlanta closed it. So I wouldn’t just say that specific lineup caused it.”
Mike Brown acknowledged discussing a starting lineup change — “there’s always going to be chatter about it” — but isn’t close to acting and, at least for now, anticipates the status quo for the playoffs. “I don’t believe in never ever. But right now we’re going to start that five and that’s how I foresee it,” the coach said. “If I feel I need to make a change at any time, I’ll make a change. But I don’t feel that way right now.” League sources said moving Landry Shamet into the lineup was discussed. Earlier this season, Brown altered his starting lineup, replacing Mitchell Robinson with Josh Hart.
James L. Edwards III: Landry Shamet will return tonight against Memphis. Jalen Brunson is questionable with right ankle soreness McBride and Robinson are both OUT due to injury management.
Landry Shamet missed his fifth straight game Tuesday because of a knee contusion, but he’s taking contact and practicing fully, according to coach Mike Brown. A source said Shamet could return as early as Wednesday’s game against the Grizzlies.
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Ian Begley: Knicks are listing Miles McBride (pelvic/core muscle surgery) as questionable for tomorrow’s game at Houston. McBride returned on Sunday from a two-month absence following the core muscle surgery but appeared to reinjure the area vs OKC. Landry Shamet (knee) remains out
Landry Shamet missed his fourth straight game but traveled with the team on their road trip, with next stops in Houston and Memphis. Brown said Shamet is “progressing.”
According to the Knicks, Shamet, who banged his knee in Friday’s victory over the Nets, has a tibial plateau contusion. The good news is the injury is nothing major, a league source said, and the guard is not expected to miss much time.
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Stefan Bondy: Landry Shamet is OUT of tomorrow’s game against the Wizards with knee soreness. Josh Hart, who missed the last game with runner’s knee, is QUESTIONABLE
Mikal Bridges, on the other hand, is going through a trying period, to say the least. The man the Knicks traded five first-round picks for is shooting 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3 in March — the latter number he’s doing for the second month in a row. Bridges primarily takes high-variance shots in this offense, and part of that is on him. The 3s are a natural part of Brown’s offense, but the mid-range jumpers Bridges relies on heavily are a choice. His layups mostly come in transition and, because of that, he rarely gets to the free-throw line. So, when the jumper isn’t falling, his performances can be loud for the wrong reasons. Defensively, Bridges has been fine. But he’s better off the ball, jumping passing lanes, than he has been as the primary on-ball defender. This starting lineup needs a dogged on-ball defender, and that role just doesn’t consistently suit Bridges. Shamet has done that job more consistently this season. The injured Miles McBride, too, might be a better option in that department.
Knicks Videos: "Our physicality was really encouraging tonight...I've been saying all year, we're at our best defensively when we're dictating and not reacting" - Landry Shamet
Josh Hart echoes Brunson’s sentiments about “true professionals” being a rarer breed in today’s NBA. He, too, has bounced around the league a bit, having played for four teams in nine seasons. The influx of young talent and teams not taking winning seriously has created environments that blur the lines of what it takes to be a pro. Hart sees Landry Shamet as what is good about the NBA. “People come in and they have to learn to be professionals,” Hart said. “Depending on where you get drafted to, it can take two, three or four years, especially if you don’t have a good vet. With how things are shaking out now, there’s a lot less vets on teams to hold guys accountable. It’s (rarer) now, and (Shamet) is a great example of that.”
