Amidst a major injury crisis for the New York Knicks, they have been much more reliant on back-end players such as Delon Wright and Landry Shamet. Those two have come on and made a big impact for the Knicks as they have won their last two games with them getting bigger roles.
Knicks’ Delon Wright has made a strong impact lately
Wright has shown his defensive prowess while also contributing some points, making a big difference in the face of adversity. He scored 12 points in their win over the Bucks and followed that up with seven against the Trail Blazers.
Before those games, he had only appeared in garbage time with the Knicks and was out of the rotation entirely. Stepping in and making a positive impact right away is huge for the Knicks, and with his defensive versatility, he has a chance to get increased playing time even after the Knicks return to full strength.
Landry Shamet has also stepped up for the Knicks
As for Shamet, he has been in the rotation ever since returning from a shoulder injury he suffered during the preseason. It has been tough for him to carve out a consistent role as his shot diet has not been the same, but more opportunities have come with the injuries and he is making the most of it.
He scored 11 points off the bench against Portland and was a team-high +22. Shamet made a bunch of key shots to fuel the Knicks’ second-half surge and arguably had his most impactful game as a Knick.
Over his last five games, Shamet is averaging 8.8 points, which is more than double his season average. In that same span, he has scored in double figures three times and is shooting 41.7% from three-point range.
“He’s doing exactly what we need him to do,” Josh Hart said of Shamet, via Andrew Crane of the New York Post. “We love him being aggressive. We love him knocking down shots. And we need that to continue. Loving how he’s playing right now and continuing to give us energy.”
Head coach Tom Thibodeau is likely to shrink his rotation when they are at full strength for the postseason, which could leave Wright and Shamet as the odd men out. However, it is still great knowing that Shamet and Wright can step up if their name gets called in the biggest moments.