The Knicks looked like they might actually lose to the last-place Nets for three quarters Monday night. Seriously, the *Nets*? Our champs seemed totally unconcerned about falling behind. They finally flipped the switch, turning a 79-75 deficit into a 103-90 win. They absolutely torched Brooklyn 28-11 in the fourth quarter at the Garden. That’s 15 straight wins against the neighbors, just saying. Landry Shamet did a lot of the heavy lifting to make that happen.
Shamet Steals the Show, Sparks the Comeback
Landry Shamet went off for a season-high 22 points, hitting 6 of 8 from the field, 4 of 6 from three-point range, and a perfect 6 of 6 from the free-throw line in just 30 minutes. He also chipped in a rebound and an assist. On a night when the starters were just chucking threes like pre-teens in a Pop Shot game, Shamet was rock steady. His scoring kept the Knicks in it long enough for everyone else to wake up. When the Knicks were stuck in third-quarter mud, Josh Hart picked up his fourth foul with a lot of game left. Shamet subbed in at 8:44 and immediately dropped six points on perfect downtown shooting. The first one, at 2:26, cut Brooklyn’s lead to a single point. The second, with a minute left, brought the score to 77-75. Basketball Reference even gave him a team-high game score of 19.4. Not bad for a guy off the bench, huh?
Hart’s Gritty Effort and Anunoby’s Clutch Bombs
Josh Hart, despite collecting his fourth foul and taking only six shots all night, was deep in the mix for everything exciting in the fourth quarter. He scored 8 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, dished out 7 assists, and snagged 3 steals in 27 minutes. He was a team-high +22, which is just insane. In that final frame, he drilled a Kolek-assisted three to pull the Knicks within one. Then he assisted on back-to-back Anunoby threes and a Kolek layup. Everyone seems to love playing with Tyler. Hart also picked off a Julius Randle pass and took it coast-to-coast for a layup.
OG Anunoby was out there for 38 minutes, putting up 18 points. He hit 4 of 10 from the field, 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, and 7 of 8 from the line, along with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Those seven free throws were huge on a night when only four of his shots fell from the floor. He deserves credit for his stamina, bumping bodies with that bull Julius Randle all night. He still had plenty left in the tank to help the team in the fourth. OG hit the go-ahead three at 10:29 and then another bomb just 28 seconds later to make it 84-79. He even set up Clarkson’s transition three. He’s still struggling to finish at the rim, but man, he delivered when it counted.
Keeping the Momentum Rolling
The Knicks showed us they can flip a switch and dominate, even when they look asleep. That’s 15 straight against the Nets, and you gotta love seeing guys like Shamet step up big. This team knows how to win, and they aren’t about to let the last-place teams hang around for long. Keep that intensity up, and let’s see more of that fourth-quarter fire.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
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