The New York Knicks were faced with adversity early. Already without Jalen Brunson due to an ankle injury, they lost OG Anunoby to a hamstring strain just before the first timeout. An already shorthanded squad looked to be in trouble facing the No. 1 offense in the Miami Heat.
It did not matter. The Knicks got huge games from several players and took down the Heat 140-132 to get back in the win column. Additionally, they are now 1-1 in NBA Cup play.
Landry Shamet and Karl-Anthony Towns went nuclear for the Knicks
Landry Shamet, who was on a non-guaranteed deal with the Knicks during training camp, has been very solid this season. However, he turned into a different animal against the Heat and turned in the best game of his NBA career.
Coming off the bench, Shamet erupted in the second half with 30 points in the half, finishing with a career-high 36 points. He shot 12-for-19 from the field and 6-for-12 from three, getting virtually whatever he wanted in the second half and knocking down shots regardless of the contest.
Karl-Anthony Towns was the star of the show in the first half, as he recorded 31 points in the first half en route to a season-high 39 points. With Brunson out, Towns was going to have to step up as the main option, and he did exactly that.
Towns became more of a playmaker in the second half, and the offense was flowing smoothly, running through him. New York knocked 46.2% of their shot attempts and 39.6% of their three-point attempts.
The bench was outstanding for the Knicks
The Knicks’ bench has had its ups and downs this season, but lately, they have put in some quality work. Against the Heat, they recorded 75 bench points, which is the sixth-most in a single game in franchise history.
Along with Shamet’s 36 points, Jordan Clarkson contributed a season-high 24 points on 6-for-13 shooting and three made three-pointers. Clarkson also grabbed five rebounds and three assists, and his tenacity was key in their dominant rebounding effort, as they recorded 51 rebounds on the night, 20 of which were offensive.
Josh Hart also recorded a triple-double off the bench with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. He is now tied with Richie Guerin for the third-most triple-doubles in franchise history with 16.
The Knicks still had lapses defensively
Despite the victory, the Knicks still showed defensive miscues that gave them trouble early. Miami was without Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, yet they still put up 132 points and got plenty of open looks.
The Heat drilled 43.2% of their three-pointers, and they had no answer for Norman Powell, who is playing like an All-Star for Miami this season. He finished with 38 points and knocked down eight threes on 15 attempts.
New York’s common flaw defensively is leaving shooters open, and they continued to struggle with that once again. While the offense was able to carry them to another victory, they are going to need to start playing better defense in order to win more games.
Overview
The Knicks stepped up in the face of adversity and claimed victory to close out the homestand. They will face this same Heat team on Monday, but this time on the road in South Florida.