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Josh Hart Addresses the Importance of Knicks’ Depth After Nets Win
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- Josh Hart Addresses the Importance of Knicks’ Depth After Nets Win
The New York Knicks got back in the win column on Monday with a 103-90 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
The Knicks have gotten off to a slow start as they look to become the first repeat champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, coming into the game with a 2-4 record and already losing to the Philadelphia 76ers twice and the Boston Celtics once.
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It was just the Nets, who are projected to be at the bottom of the league and have just one win on the season, but a victory is a victory for the Knicks.
Josh Hart Speaks
The Knicks' leading scorer was not Jalen Brunson or Karl-Anthony Towns on Monday, but instead it was Landry Shamet off the bench .
Shamet had 22 points to lead the team, going 6-for-8 from the field, 4-for-6 from three, and 6-for-6 from the line.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
After the game, Josh Hart said about Shamet's performance, "It shows you the depth that we have, that it could be anybody's night on any given night."
The defending champions returned much of their bench from last year, including Shamet, Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado. The Knicks bench is fifth in the league in scoring, averaging 28.7 points per game.
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Shamet leads the way for the squad, averaging 9.7 points per game. Shamet and McBride are both averaging more points per game than starter Mikal Bridges, who has gotten off to a slow start.
The Bench Isn't The Issue
The Knicks have gotten contributions from their bench all season, even with Jose Alvarado playing in only three of the seven games.
The starters have been inconsistent to start the season, and their failure to score around the rim has been glaring through the first seven games.
The Knicks are fourth in the league in shots within three feet of the rim, meaning they are getting to the restricted area. However, they are last in the league in field goal percentage of shots within three feet of the rim, meaning they are missing far too many attempts when they get to that area.
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They are shooting 60% in the restricted area, a number not good enough to consistently win in the league.
If the Knicks are able to finish better around the rim while putting the same amount of pressure on the rim, a lot of their issues will be solved. They've been competitive in all four of their losses; they just haven't found a way to close out games. Making the easy ones will make their life easier.
