Jalen Brunson took center stage in Game 1, but the Knicks would not have completed that comeback without Mike Brown’s decision to trust Landry Shamet when the game needed a steady hand on both ends of the floor.
Shamet finished with nine points in 17 minutes, went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and posted a team-best plus-25 in New York’s 115-104 overtime win. That is not a normal bench line. It is the kind of role-player swing that changes a series opener.
Shamet changed the texture of the rally
With the Knicks still trailing late in the fourth, Brown left Shamet on the floor alongside four starters rather than reverting to a more familiar look. It paid off immediately.
NBA.com’s film review highlighted two of the comeback’s biggest moments: Shamet sliding over to draw a charge and then hitting the game-tying three with 44.3 seconds left in regulation.
Those were not just routine plays. They were moments that shifted the momentum of the series opener.
The three was not a clean look, either. Shamet later admitted he was just hoping the ball would drop as it rattled around the rim. It did, and the Knicks went on to force overtime.
It was not just about shot-making
Shamet hit all three of his threes during the comeback, a crucial contribution as Cleveland’s late doubles on Brunson needed to be punished by someone.
But just as important was the fact that he held up defensively.
Live coverage noted how Shamet stayed active throughout the closing stretch, and the Knicks never had to hide him on defense.
Mike Brown called Shamet “the difference in the ballgame tonight on both ends of the floor,” and that sums it up. Shamet was not just a spacer for Brunson. He was holding his own until the ball found him again.
Why that matters for this series
Rotations usually tighten up in the conference finals, not expand. But Game 1 gave the Knicks another option they can trust when Brunson needs extra spacing.
That could change the dynamic of the series.
If Shamet proves reliable as both a spot-up shooter and a capable defender, Cleveland faces an added challenge every time it sends extra attention toward Brunson.
That becomes even more important with Game 2 set for May 21. The Cavaliers now have to decide whether they can keep helping aggressively toward Brunson if Shamet is ready to punish the open side.
The Knicks need him for the non-star possessions
Stars might fill up the scoreboard, but it is role players who create the space for them to operate. Shamet’s minutes gave the Knicks balance on both ends without having to sacrifice one for the other.
That is the hidden value of a bench shooter who is not just standing in the corner waiting for a kickout.
He can survive on the weak side, help on a drive, rotate into the right lane and still be ready for the next possession when the ball comes back out.
Shamet’s recent playoff stretch suggests this was not just a one-off. He is 9-for-15 from three over his last four high-leverage games, with plus-minus marks of +20, +13 and +25 in three of them, according to AI Mode research.
New York may have found a real pressure release
The Knicks spent much of the night looking rusty after a long layoff. But Shamet helped steady them down the stretch, when they started to resemble a true conference finals team.
If that form carries into Game 2, this stops being a one-night comeback story and becomes a rotation story.
Cleveland already knows Brunson is the problem. Now it has to account for the extra shooter New York trusted when everything got tight.
That is how a bench role becomes more than a bench role. In Game 1, Shamet gave the Knicks a way to stay spaced, stay connected, and stay alive.
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