Landry Shamet hits career high in win against Heat

The New York Knicksdespite being undermanned, beat the Miami Heat 140-132 on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, thanks in large part to career best performance from the shooter Landry Shamet.

The 28-year-old scored a game-high 36 points off the bench on 12-of-19 shooting, including 6-of-12 from three-point range, and made all six of his free throws. He also added three assists and two rebounds in 37 minutes, his fourth 30-point game in an eight-year NBA career. Shamet scored 30 of those points in the second half, carrying New York as the Heat tried to come back. The crowd at Madison Square Garden responded by chanting “Land-ri Sham-et” in recognition of his performance.

The Knicks were without starter Jalen Bransonout with a Grade 1 right ankle sprain, and OG Anunoby, who suffered a left hamstring strain in the first quarter and did not return. Karl-Anthony Towns led the scoring for New York with a record 39 points, 31 of which were scored in the first half. Although Towns carried the first half, Shamet’s second-half outburst turned the game in the Knicks’ favor, and Towns added just eight points after halftime.

New York’s bench was a major factor, outscoring Miami 75-39. Jordan Clarkson added a game-high 24 points in 33 minutes, while Josh Hart had his first triple-double of the season with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Myles McBride had nine points and four assists, taking on increased ball-handling responsibilities in Brunson’s absence. Mitchell Robinson collected eight offensive rebounds despite fouling out, and Mikal Bridges added seven steals and two blocks.

After entering the season on a non-guaranteed deal and initially competing for a minimum veteran roster spot, Shamet has proven to be a secret weapon the team can rely on when the starters are gone. He now averages 10 points per game and ranks second on the team in three-point attempts per 36 minutes behind Clarkson, providing crucial spacing and scoring depth.

The Knicks improved to 8-4 on the season and 1-1 in the NBA Cup. New York will travel to Miami for another showdown with the Heat on Monday.