Landry Shamet is Knicks' secret fifth starter

Josh Hart is a crucial part of the "Villanova Knicks," a close friend to Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges and an incredible rebounder for his size. But against the San Antonio Spurs, his inconsistent shooting means the New York Knicks have been better with his backup on the floor.

Landry Shamet has averaged 13 points and 31.5 minutes per game in the NBA Finals, compared to 1.5 points and 22.5 minutes for Hart. Due to foul trouble, shooting and the presence of Victor Wembanyama, the journeyman Shamet has surpassed Hart, at least for this series.

Landry Shamet's skill set is necessary for New York Knicks

The biggest difference between Shamet and Hart comes in their outside shooting. Hart is a 35 percent shooter from deep who has made only 28.2 percent of his threes in the playoffs, and gone 0-for-5 in the Finals. Shamet is a 38.6 percent three-point shooter who has caught fire in these playoffs, making 56.3 percent of his triples and shooting 6-for-13 in the Finals.

That's a huge difference when facing Wembanyama, a world-class defender who can effectively shut down whole areas of the floor with his shot-blocking. He's even deadlier when the Spurs can assign him to a non-shooter like Hart, which allows Wemby to roam off of him, without fear Hart will make the Spurs pay. Hart is a great rebounder and good at moving without the ball, but he doesn't put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses.

That's why Shamet is such an important alternative. He's made 41 percent of his career playoff threes and absolutely has to be guarded at the arc. That stretches the Spurs defense and opens up opportunities for Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson. When Shamet was on the floor with the four non-Hart Knicks starters in Game 2, the Knicks outscored the Spurs, 21-6.