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Josh Hart Shouts Out Knicks' Role Players After Beating Nets
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- Josh Hart Shouts Out Knicks' Role Players After Beating Nets
The New York Knicks defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 103-90, at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
The victory was the Knicks' third in their last four games, improving to 3-4 on the year after a rough 0-3 start to their title defense.
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In this one, the hosts needed something from everybody to notch their 15th straight win over local rival Nets.
"It shows you the depth that we have," Josh Hart said afterward. "That it could be anybody's night on any given night. And we're going to need that, especially after playing late into last year."
Unlikely Hero
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Knicks led for over 70 percent of the game, but a 35-24 third-quarter run by the Nets made things interesting heading down the stretch.
New York outscored Brooklyn 28-11 in the fourth to secure the win, leaning heavily on sixth man Landry Shamet in times of need.
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Shamet poured in a season-high 22 points in 30 minutes off the bench, shooting 6-for-8 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. He also converted all six of his attempts at the free-throw line.
Although he is averaging a modest 7.7 points per game in the early season, Shamet is still shooting 41.4 percent from deep — a big reason as to why the Knicks were delighted when he chose to re-sign with them in the offseason instead of opting to seek a bigger payday elsewhere.
It's moments like this that make the four-year, $23.9 million deal Shamet inked terrific value for money. He is seldom going to need to erupt like this, but he is more than capable, and that bodes well for the Knicks' chances of repeating as the campaign progresses.
Bench Mob
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Hart praised the Knicks' entire second unit for its contributions, including Tyler Kolek (2) and Jose Alvarado (0), who combined for two points, but their impact extended beyond the stat sheet.
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Jordan Clarkson chipped in 7 points on 3-for-5 shooting in 11 minutes. Andre Drummond scored four points and hauled in nine rebounds in 13 minutes. Miles McBride went 2-for-4 from three-point range en route to 6 points and two steals in 17 minutes.
Shamet himself has picked up where he left off last season — when he shot 47.5 percent from three in the playoffs, proving pivotal to the Knicks winning their first championship in over five decades.
The bench effort set the table for the starters to do their thing.
Jalen Brunson led with 19 points and six assists. OG Anunoby dropped 18 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 11 points, 16 rebounds, and five dimes. Hart was on triple-double watch with 8 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, with three steals.
