Shamet catches fire as Knicks outgun Heat in Cup

After stumbling against Orlando, the New York Knicks bounced back in style, outlasting the Miami Heat 140-132 in an NBA Cup game that had Madison Square Garden roaring from start to finish. It was one of those nights that fans will remember long after the final buzzer – not just for the score, but for how it all unfolded.

Karl-Anthony Towns was a force early, setting the tone with 31 points by halftime on 6-of-10 shooting from deep. For a while, it looked like he might flirt with a 60-point night. He ended up with 39 points overall, but the story of the evening quickly shifted to someone few expected to steal the spotlight.

Landry Shamet came off the bench and turned the Garden into his personal stage. The 28-year-old guard from Wichita State erupted for a career-high 36 points, including 30 in the second half. He was simply unconscious, going 12-of-19 from the field, 6-of-12 from three, and a perfect 6-of-6 at the line. When he stepped up for his final free throws, the crowd broke into a rhythmic chant – “La-ndry Sha-met! La-ndry Sha-met!” – a moment of pure Garden magic. His deep three with just under seven minutes left stretched the Knicks’ lead to 125-110, their largest of the night.

“What makes this group special, we got a lot of guys that just care about winning. Whatever it takes, we got Jalen out, we lose OG early there and we got great contributions across the board from everyone. It’s the mentality we have to have and we’ll continue to have. It’s next man up. A lot of teams talk about that, but I think this group really embodies it, and will continue to.”

– Landry Shamet

It wasn’t just Shamet and Towns, though. The Knicks’ bench came alive in a way rarely seen – outscoring the starters with a massive 75 points. Jordan Clarkson had his best night as a Knick, pouring in 24 points, while Josh Hart delivered the ultimate “do-it-all” performance: 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists – a triple-double that perfectly captured his trademark energy.

And while the box score might show Mitchell Robinson finishing scoreless, his presence was far from empty. Despite early foul trouble, he grabbed 10 rebounds – 8 of them on the offensive glass – giving New York crucial second chances. The Knicks dominated that category, 15-10, and those extra possessions proved vital in such a high-scoring contest.

Still, the win came at a cost. Jalen Brunson, who sprained his ankle late in the loss to Orlando, remained out, and his return timetable is uncertain. To make matters worse, OG Anunoby exited early with a hamstring injury after just five minutes of play and did not return.

Miami, missing Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, fought hard. Norman Powell was outstanding with 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting and 8-of-15 from three, while Jaime Jaquez added 23 off the bench. Herro, recovering from ankle surgery, is reportedly close to returning, as well as Adebayo, who continues to nurse a toe injury that has sidelined him for the past four games.

Uop-next The two teams won’t have to wait long for another round – they’ll meet again in Miami on Monday night, where the Heat will surely look for payback.