The New York Knicks' win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday was nearly a loss. But even though CJ McCollum's half-court, game-tying heave was overturned, the road team gearing up for a pivotal playoff run was still presented with a harsh truth about their bench unit.
Veteran sharpshooter Landry Shamet scored just one point in 21 minutes of play and scoring guru Jordan Clarkson notched three points, and just as many turnovers, in nine minutes on the floor. It was a rough reminder for the Knicks that, outside of Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson, some of the most important players on their bench won't have many physical advantages over their opponents in a playoff setting.
Knicks' key veteran reserves might struggle in playoff basketball setting
The Hawks aren't necessarily a contending squad, but definitely bring a physical, competitive defense to the table on a consistent basis. They have the second-best defensive rating in the entire NBA since the All-Star break, above just the Oklahoma City Thunder (all-but-guaranteed to finish the season with by far the league's best rating on that end.)
The NBA's postseason provides offenses with the challenges of a smaller-feeling court with shooters guarded tightly, the high pressure of each possession carrying additional weight, and even a less-forgiving whistle – with the league looking to prevent its biggest games from devolving into free throw contests.
That's consistently been a great thing for NBA superstars like Jalen Brunson, who could create enough space for a jump shot in a phone booth, and even starters like OG Anunoby, whose physicality has shined through on both ends of the court in playoff series against Joel Embiid's 76ers and the team's pair of losses to the Indiana Pacers.
But it might not be as advantageous for players like Shamet and Clarkson. The veterans both have several NBA-level skills that allow them to contribute consistently to the Knicks' winning efforts. Their games, though, each have various limitations that prevent them from serving as perennial starters or ever having reached a level of NBA stardom.
It's incredibly difficult to become that level of player, though, and it isn't any kind of indictment on either Shamet or Clarkson that neither has been selected to an All-Star game. Clarkson is one of the best bench scorers of all time for a reason, and Shamet keeps closing games for the Knicks amid their intense hunt for a championship.
In the postseason, though, it's worth keeping an eye on both veterans' playing time when the going gets tough. It might be then that the Knicks decide to reap the benefits of the reduced loads they gave their starting core, and the load management they had Robinson undergo.