It looked like the New York Knicks were on their way to yet another devastating loss on Sunday, but they rebounded and finally secured a win over the Indiana Pacers.
Following the game, Josh Hart talked about some talented and clutch bench stars who made success possible, giving special praise to Delon Wright and Landry Shamet while speaking to ESPN.
“I think at first, it kind of took [our group] a little bit to figure out what we were going to do offensively. But that unit was full of guys who have been in the league and who know how to play basketball,” Hart said of players such as Shamet and Wright, who haven’t played much this postseason. “It’s huge to have guys who stay ready. It doesn’t matter the situation. That’s exactly why you stay ready.”
They were definitely ready and able to leap into action as the Knicks faced a big deficit and also foul trouble for a few of their biggest players, including Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
They paved the way for a Knicks comeback, even though the team was on the road, and they beat the Pacers 106-100, and the series record is now 2-1.
Before the game, analysts predicted that head coach Tom Thibodeau was going to rely on his bench more often.
The starting five has repeatedly faced trouble, getting outplayed by their opponents.
Sure enough, Thibodeau changed things up for Game 3, and it seemed to do the trick.
There have been concerns and complaints about the Knicks’ depth throughout the season, but Sunday’s game showed that the team has more than a few players who are able to step up and perform.
Whether it be because of foul trouble or the long, exhausting postseason, the Knicks require a deep roster with multiple backup players who can help their team get across the finish line, like they did on Sunday afternoon.
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