Johnny Ochsenfeld
In a league where depth matters more than ever, the New York Knicks have two impact players making less than $7 million a year combined. Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet continue to make big impacts off the bench, even if the offense isn’t dropping. New York has won their 12th straight game against the Toronto Raptors with a 111-95 victory at the Scotiabank Arena, and the guards have flexed their muscles once again.
Alvarado’s impact was clear in win over Raptors
The Knicks started the game looking sluggish, lacking the defensive intensity needed to be a true championship contender. However, that changed in the latter portion of the first quarter when Mike Brown subbed in Alvarado.
The 27-year-old’s impact was obvious, with the energy from the blue and orange reaching a new level. The 6’0″ guard’s presence and intangibles are enough to flip a game on its head, and that’s exactly what happened.
New York held Toronto to 95 points, the third time this season the Knicks have held them under 100 points. Whether it’s OG Anunoby’s elite defense or Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive revelation, the Knicks are stringing together elite defensive outings, and it starts with Alvarado.
Alvarado played 17 minutes, only scoring four points on four shots, but he led the game in +/- with +19. Although the scoring won’t be there every game, his in-your-face energy flipped the Knicks’ defense on its head.
Shamet’s underrated defense is huge off the bench
However, it’s not just Alvarado making an impact; Shamet’s two-way play has bolstered New York’s bench tenfold. The 41.8% three-point shooter has been a sniper from behind the arc, but his defensive intensity isn’t being recognized for the impact its made.
Shamet’s ability to work around screens, operate as a point-of-attack defender or chaser has made his impact on that side of the ball paramount. At 6’5″, 195 pounds, his size and strength is another underrated aspect of his game.
As many say, defense is all about effort, and if you want to find effort guys, look no further than Alvarado and Shamet. Although they won’t stuff the stat sheet on a nightly basis, their impact will be seen on the film tape the next morning
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