Some nights in the NBA feel like survival tests, and the Knicks walked into Friday’s matchup with the Heat already running on fumes. They were without Jalen Brunson, their engine and closer, and they lost OG Anunoby just five minutes into the game with a left hamstring strain. Twelve games into the season, the Knicks looked like a team held together by tape, grit, and hope.
And then Landry Shamet walked out of the tunnel and gave them one of the most improbable lifts of the year.
Shamet’s career night changes everything against Miami
Shamet didn’t just give the Knicks good minutes — he gave them 37 of them. He scored 36 points on 12-of-19 shooting, hit six threes, and carried a Knicks offense that easily could have stalled without its top creators. For a veteran-minimum signing who barely made the roster, this was the kind of performance that changes narratives and cements roles.
New York needed someone to ignite the building, and Shamet did it possession by possession. His off-ball movement created open looks. His confidence never dipped. The crowd at MSG, always ready to adopt a new hero, chanted his name for the first time. He fed off the energy and gave them something to believe in on a night that easily could have turned into a blowout loss.
Shamet’s +11 plus-minus underscored what the eye test already made clear: every time he stepped on the floor, the Knicks looked like a team with purpose and direction.
A bench effort that arrived at the perfect moment
The Knicks didn’t simply need one player to step up. They needed an entire bench unit to meet the moment. Shamet was the headline, but the supporting cast followed suit, anchoring the game long enough for Karl-Anthony Towns to deliver his own 39-point masterpiece.
It’s the kind of collective effort that keeps a team afloat when major pieces are missing. Without Brunson’s control and OG’s defense, the Knicks had to manufacture energy and pace from elsewhere. Head coach Mike Brown has discussed building a roster capable of staying in rhythm even when adversity arises. Friday was proof of that vision taking shape.
The Knicks managed to outplay a Miami team known for discipline, physicality, and execution. That alone speaks to the group’s resilience.
Injuries force tough questions, but the Knicks send a clear message
The injuries aren’t going away. Brunson’s absence looms over the offense. OG’s hamstring strain adds another obstacle to a defense already stretched thin. New York can’t rely on Shamet dropping 36 or Towns erupting for nearly 40 every night.
But this isn’t about expecting repeat heroics. It’s about finding a formula that keeps them competitive while star power heals. More efficiency. Cleaner possessions. Smarter rotations. The Knicks need all of it.
Shamet’s eruption won’t fix the injury list, but it showed something meaningful: this team isn’t folding. They’ll fight with whoever is available, and they’ll squeeze production out of every corner of the roster.
A win that means more than just a tally in the standings
The Knicks don’t get style points for surviving early-season chaos, but they get something better — proof that their depth can keep them in the fight. With key players sidelined, Friday’s performance wasn’t just an upset win. It was a signpost for where this team can go when everything clicks.
The stars will return in time. Until then, the Knicks will need more nights like this one, fueled by effort, opportunism, and unexpected heroes. And if Landry Shamet keeps giving them this kind of spark, they may weather this storm better than anyone expected.