Oct 28, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts in the 4th quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Knicks Coach Explains Starting Lineup Change

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The New York Knicks have yet to begin back-to-back games with the same starting five this season and that streak continued in the team's 121-111 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Instead of going with Ariel Hukporti, who started against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, or Miles McBride, who started against the Boston Celtics, Mike Brown opted to go with Landry Shamet in the backcourt next to Jalen Brunson.

"Landry's been really good defensively, plays with pace, sticks his nose in, will try to rebound, and when he gets a rhythm," Brown said via New York Daily News reporter Kristian Winfield. "If you leave him open, he's gonna knock down shots."

Brown on starting Landry Shamet: "Landry's been really good defensively, plays with pace, sticks his nose in, will try to rebound, and when he gets a rhythm... if you leave him open, he's gonna knock down shots."
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) October 29, 2025

Shamet makes first start for Knicks

After 53 appearances between last season and this one, Shamet got his first start with the Knicks and he performed well in the role. Shamet scored 16 points on 5 of 11 shooting while knocking down 4 of 9 attempts from beyond the 3-point line.

While Shamet started against the Bucks, his spot in the first five isn't secure. Brown spoke about how he wants to keep the starting lineup flexible.

“If I feel that we need to match up, I may go (with a specific lineup). If I feel that we don’t, I may go (the other way)," Brown said via SNY reporter Ian Begley. "Again, all our guys should be ready to play, whether it’s the start of the game or finishing the game or playing in the middle of the game."

“Starting is nice, but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter to me. To those guys in the locker room, maybe it does, I don’t know. But I have a lot of confidence in this entire roster, so we can start a lot of different ways.”

During training camp, there was a debate between whether Josh Hart or Mitchell Robinson would be the fifth starter. However, the latter has yet to make his season debut as he manages his left ankle injury that cost him 65 games last year.

Robinson will get his chances to start as well when he comes back, but players like Shamet, Hart, McBride, Hukporti and others will all get their chance to make an impact. The Knicks' depth has become a true strength, giving them a lot of different looks to go against different teams.

Now, it's all up to Brown to figure out how to push the right buttons.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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