Landry Shamet, Knicks
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Landry Shamet of the New York Knicks will miss at least four weeks with a shoulder injury.
The New York Knicks will have an important piece of their second unit available Sunday night.
Veteran guard Landry Shamet is available to play against the Los Angeles Lakers, Knicks coach Mike Brown told reporters before tip-off.
Shamet had been listed as questionable with a neck sprain, but the team cleared the sixth man to suit up as New York continues a strong stretch of play heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
His availability comes as the Knicks rely more heavily on their bench rotation while awaiting the return of key reserve guard Miles McBride.
Landry Shamet Emerging as Key Knicks Bench Scorer
Shamet has quietly become one of the Knicks’ most reliable contributors off the bench.
The veteran guard most recently scored 10 points and grabbed three rebounds in 19 minutes during New York’s dominant 142–103 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Over his last nine games, Shamet has elevated his production significantly. During that span he is averaging 11.7 points, 1.4 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 2.1 made three-pointers.
He has also been extremely efficient, shooting 50 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three-point range.
Those numbers have helped stabilize the Knicks’ second unit as they navigate injuries and heavy minutes among the starters.
Shamet Says Knicks Bench Brings ‘Different Flavors’
Shamet believes the versatility of New York’s bench has helped keep opposing defenses off balance during the team’s recent surge.
“We’ve got the luxury of having different flavors to kind of bring to the game,” Shamet said following a win over the San Antonio Spurs. “How our bench unit plays can be different at times from how our first five play, and I think that’s important to keep other teams off balance.”
The Knicks’ depth has played a major role during a 15–5 stretch that has seen the team climb into the top 10 in defensive rating while securing wins over several playoff-caliber opponents.
During that run, New York has picked up victories against teams such as the Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, Lakers and Nuggets.
Knicks Await Return of Key Reserve Miles McBride
Despite the team’s strong stretch, New York continues to monitor the recovery of Miles McBride, one of the league’s most impactful role players.
The fifth-year guard out of West Virginia has developed into a cornerstone of the Knicks’ second unit thanks to his combination of elite point-of-attack defense and efficient perimeter shooting.
McBride has not played since New York’s January 27 victory over the Sacramento Kings after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia.
The original recovery timeline for the procedure was six to eight weeks, which places his potential return sometime in early to mid-April.
While the Knicks have not provided a formal update recently, respected team insider Ian Begley reported that the outlook remains positive.
“I still think there’s positivity there, things have been going well,” Begley said on SNY. “I don’t think there’s any reason to fret or worry about Miles McBride not being back and ready to go for the postseason. That’s the trajectory that I’ve heard about and talked to people about, and I haven’t heard anything different than that.”
Knicks Positioning for Another Playoff Push
The Knicks have been notoriously tight-lipped when it comes to injury updates, a trend that has continued with McBride’s recovery.
Still, the team remains optimistic that he will return in time for the playoffs — a critical development for a roster hoping to make another deep postseason run.
In the meantime, players like Shamet have stepped up to help fill the void.
With the Knicks continuing their strong late-season push and preparing for another high-profile matchup against the Lakers, Shamet’s availability provides an additional scoring option and shooting threat for a bench unit that has become increasingly important to New York’s success.