The New York Knicks lead the 2026 NBA Finals 2-0 after a thrilling Game 2 victory, powered by deep bench contributions and strategic adjustments.
Not because of major roster changes, but due to a tactical adjustment that arrived perhaps a few seasons too late.
Entering Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, New York had just eliminated the Atlanta Hawks in three straight and swept the underdog Philadelphia 76ers in the semifinals.
Yet after 40 minutes at Madison Square Garden on May 19, the Knicks trailed the Cleveland Cavaliers by 22 points.
Then Jalen Brunson took over, pouring in 15 of his game-high 38 points in the final 7:39, much of it against Cavs guard James Harden.
Alongside Brunson's scoring spree and timely defensive stands, one of the greatest playoff comebacks in history nearly reached its peak.
With under a minute left, the deficit had shrunk to just three points.
The game-tying 3-pointer with 45 seconds remaining in regulation didn’t come from Brunson, New York’s captain and former Clutch Player of the Year.
It didn’t come from Karl-Anthony Towns, the All-Star center and one of the league’s best shooting big men.
Nor did it come from Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby, the two 3-and-D wings the franchise traded a roster’s worth of players and draft picks to acquire.
Instead, the dagger came from reserve guard Landry Shamet, a late training camp pickup on a non-guaranteed deal who likely would have watched from the sidelines in such a high-stakes moment just one season ago.
The 29-year-old journeyman’s expanded role was the final piece of a puzzle that had eluded New York in its previous two playoff exits under former coach Tom Thibodeau, when starters were exhausted in conference semifinals in 2024 and Eastern finals in 2025.
Under coach Mike Brown this season, New York has relied more on its bench than ever before under Thibodeau.
That trend continued in this playoff run, which now heads back to Madison Square Garden for Monday’s Game 3 of the Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Across the Knicks’ bench, minutes are being split more evenly.
Beyond Shamet’s impact, guard Miles McBride has posted career highs in minutes, scoring and 3-point percentage.
Big man Mitchell Robinson has stayed healthy after careful load management all season and is now deployed against Victor Wembanyama in key moments.
Guard Jose Alvarado, acquired at the trade deadline, has brought his usual defensive intensity and energy.
"Everybody understands what our standard is," Brown said in December. "It's about sacrifice."
And the Knicks needed all season to perfect that philosophy.
When Brown replaced Thibodeau—who was popular but ultimately inflexible—there were doubts about whether he could meet the massive expectations: not just reaching the Finals for the first time since 1999, but doing it the preferred way.
In 2024-25, the five most-used four-man lineups—each featuring combinations of Brunson, Towns, Anunoby, Bridges and Josh Hart—had all logged over 1,000 minutes.
The highest total exceeded 1,300 minutes, equivalent to a third of an NBA regular season.
This year, only one four-man unit surpassed 900 minutes.
Lineups with Robinson, Anunoby, Bridges and Brunson posted a plus-19.6 point differential per 100 possessions, largely thanks to Robinson’s offensive rebounds and "sprays," Brown’s term for crashing the paint and kicking to open shooters.
"In terms of the minutes, it's a philosophy I had," Brown said before Game 2. "One of the many things I learned from Pop and Steve [Kerr]. Steve was really good at trying to play a lot of different guys."
The Knicks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, and they'll face the same opponent they met then: the San Antonio Spurs.
Game 3 tips off on June 8 at Madison Square Garden, with all games starting at 8:30 p.m. ET.
| Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95 |
| Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 104 |
| Game 3: June 8 at Knicks |