The New York Knicks marched through the Eastern Conference playoffs, losing only two games by a single point and winning 11 straight to reach their first NBA Finals in 27 years. Heading into a battle with the Western Conference champions, here are five under-the-radar difference-makers for New York.
Landry Shamet, Guard
It’s not realistic for the Knicks to expect Landry Shamet to recreate his 11-for-12 three-point shooting effort from the Cavaliers series. But he could certainly replicate the 10-for-23 (43.5 percent) mark he put up in the first two rounds.
The OKC Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs likely have the NBA’s two best defenses. To score on them, a reliable outside shooter like Shamet is crucial to punish double-teams and make the Knicks’ unselfish, ball-moving offense pay off. The better the Knicks can shoot from outside, the more the opposing team’s shot-blockers can be minimized — one reason the Knicks plan to bring back Shamet next season.
Ariel Hukporti, Center
24-year-old center Ariel Hukporti has appeared in only eight playoff games and seen a grand total of 70 minutes this year. Thanks to Mitchell Robinson’s broken pinkie finger, the Knicks may need a whole lot more of their second-year center.
Hukporti was “Mr. Irrelevant” in the 2024 NBA draft, selected with the last pick of the second round. He appeared in 54 games for the Knicks in the regular season, playing solid defense while his offensive game is limited to putbacks and finishing lobs. Still, the Knicks will need someone to counter the Western Conference champions big men while Karl-Anthony Towns rests or sits with foul trouble. Hukporti will have to get boards and protect the rim, even if he may be a zero on offense.
Jose Alvarado, Guard
You can never have too many point guards available to face the ball-hawking defenses of the West. A team also can’t have too many ball-hawking players of their own against teams that have proved to be turnover-prone in the Western Conference Finals. Jose Alvarado provides both.
Alvarado’s nickname is “Grand Theft” thanks to his propensity for steals. He has nine in the playoffs despite playing only 110 minutes. He’s also shooting over 40 percent from three-point range in the postseason, putting the NYC native in position to make high-impact contributions in limited minutes.
Jeremy Sochan, Forward
Jeremy Sochan didn’t play much for the New York Knicks this season, signing with them after the San Antonio Spurs waived the former No. 9 overall pick. With the Knicks down Robinson, they may brush the cobwebs off the hyper-athletic 6-foot-8 forward to give them another option.
He fell out of the Spurs rotation this season, but Sochan has been an excellent one-on-one defender in the past, with the strength and athleticism to guard on the perimeter and in the post. Sochan is undersized for a backup center, but he may be one of the Knicks’ best frontcourt options. And while he’s not a great shooter, Sochan isn’t hopeless on offense, even serving an apprenticeship as the team’s point guard.
Timothee Chalamet, Fan
One way the Knicks have thrived this season is by their fans filling road arenas. The Cavaliers forced some Knicks superfans like Timothee Chalamet, Tracy Morgan and Ben Stiller to sit one row back from the court, but the cheers for the Knicks were louder than cheers for the home team by the second half of Game 4.
Can Chalamet and Co. penetrate Oklahoma City or San Antonio, cities that are dramatically further away than Cleveland or Philadelphia? Don’t be surprised if the Knicks fans’ road show keeps going throughout the Finals.