I have become an unreasonable Landry Shamet stan this season. Sometimes I catch myself watching only him for entire defensive possessions, which is probably not healthy, but it did send me down the matchup-data hole.

And the numbers are kind of ridiculous.

Through the first 3 games of the ECF, Donovan Mitchell has scored only 10 total points when matched up with Shamet. Only 6 of those points have come from made field goals. 0 made 2-pointers.

Stat	Mitchell vs. Shamet
Matchup possessions	53.1
Matchup time	10:33
Points	10
Points from made FG	6
FG	²⁄₇
2PT	0/4
3PT	²⁄₃
FT	⁴⁄₅
AST / TOV	2 / 0
FGA per 100 matchup poss	13.2
Points per 100 matchup poss	18.8

The shot suppression is the wildest part. Don has only taken 7 field goals across 53.1 matchup possessions against Shamet. That means he has gone without a field-goal attempt on roughly 46 of those 53.1 matchup possessions.

Among Knicks defenders with 20+ matchup possessions on Mitchell:

Primary defender	Matchup poss	Mitchell pts	FG	2PT	3PT	FGA/100 poss	Pts/100 poss
Josh Hart	67.9	18	⁷⁄₁₉	⁶⁄₉	¹⁄₁₀	28.0	26.5
Landry Shamet	53.1	10	²⁄₇	0/4	²⁄₃	13.2	18.8
Mikal Bridges	35.8	7	³⁄₈	²⁄₅	¹⁄₃	22.3	19.6
Miles McBride	22.6	8	⁴⁄₆	⁴⁄₆	0/0	26.5	35.4

So Shamet has the lowest Mitchell shot rate, lowest Mitchell points rate, and lowest Mitchell FG% among that group.

The funny part is that this is not some chaos-defense thing where Shamet is flying around forcing turnovers. Mitchell has 0 turnovers in the matchup. Shamet is just staying attached, Mitchell is giving it up, and the possessions keep ending without Mitchell getting to a shot.

Anyway, I am once again asking Mike Brown to keep feeding the Shamet minutes in Game 4.

Viktorkin | Knicks

56 | 4 hours ago

Landry has been a freaking godsend since he got here. He guards, moves the ball, hits big shots. I still can’t believe we were deciding between him and Garrison Matthews this off-season. I think Landry would be in the rotation for 9 out of 10 teams.

spaghet1123 | Knicks

17 | 4 hours ago

It’s honestly insane how good he has been for his contract, even when his shot wasn’t falling like in the middle of the regular season he always defended like his life depended on it. His conditioning is off the charts

dapoktan | Knicks

11 | 3 hours ago

you can tell the amount of work he put into his body.. hes fuckin ripped and that core strength is allowing him to body up these nba guards without being pushed around

thefreeman419 | 76ers

1 | 29 minutes ago

He was a beanpole when he entered the league, complete defensive liability. Cool to see how his career has developed

JonnyGBuckets | Knicks

48 | 4 hours ago

Shamet also does the best out of anyone of fighting through screens so he’s harder for Mitchell to shake

mikesh8rp | Knicks

11 | 3 hours ago

Shamet has been great, but I just want to note that Deuce has also been a menace getting around screens. Bridges has done much better too, which was a major knock against him earlier in the season.

Rad_platypus7 | Knicks

3 | 2 hours ago

Deuce is also a dawg at the POA. Mitchell has just been hitting tough shots over him

LaMelgoatBall | BOS

4 | 3 hours ago

Known lockdown defender Landry Shamet

AbjectAffect91 | Knicks

7 | 3 hours ago

Are you saying this sarcastically? Cause if you do, I suggest watching some of our games. Shamet has been really good defensively.

Buddha_Panda | Raptors

5 | 3 hours ago

I think most people just see the on-ball stuff. Shamet is a certified off-ball pest. He’s the opposite of like a Scottie Barnes who’s lazy off-ball and makes up for it with athleticism later.

AllDayEnJay | Nets

1 | 2 hours ago

I think it’s all based off his career before this outlier season.

There was a reason Shamet was on 5 Teams in 5 Years before his Knicks tenure.

Sixers, Clippers, Nets, Suns, and Wizards didn’t just move on from Shamet for no reason.

KL2ConspireLLC | San Diego Clippers

1 | 2 hours ago

He’s been good this year. But he was not a good defender at all entering this season. That’s how a guy who shot .397 last season and .387 for his career ended up bouncing around the league and is on a minimum contract.

LaMelgoatBall | BOS

1 | an hour ago

I know he has man. I’m just saying this because he was never really seen as this kind of player in the past no? It shocked me at least

ShockerCheer

19 | 4 hours ago

He played for Wichita State during the “play angry” Gregg Marshall era. With him, if you don’t play tough scrapy defense, you aren’t playing so of course his defense is good

philmccrak | Mavericks

3 | 42 minutes ago

As a fellow shocker alum, I always wanted to pair Luka with a wsu guard in Dallas (fvv, shamet, reaves 1 year). Pain that I see him and AR in LA now.

Haberdashery2000

12 | 4 hours ago

As another ShamStan, this post ticks every box.

AbjectAffect91 | Knicks

9 | 3 hours ago

The way Shamet is playing makes me not afraid of OKC. We got another body to throw at Shai. The Spurs series is showing that we don’t need to double him hard, just play honest defense and only double when he drives.

Federal_Studio5935 | Cavaliers

7 | 3 hours ago

The series was over when the Cavs lost game 1 up 22 with 7 minutes left. Let’s just get this shit over with.

Most embarrassing shit I’ve ever seen in my life.

MRCJR94 | Knicks

5 | 2 hours ago

Your coach grew up on Long Island and his nieces went to my high school. No one smokes meth in New York, so im really curious what he’s on during these post game interviews. I’d imagine this is his last season as an NBA head coach on any team.

Federal_Studio5935 | Cavaliers

4 | an hour ago

Hey man, we’ve won 2 out 3 games - analytically speaking.

I still can’t believe he said that. What a fuck stick.

thatisagoodrock | Knicks

6 | 3 hours ago

For those commenting Don is hurt, he may be. But this post is more so comparing Shamet possessions vs. Hart, Deuce, and Bridges.

CandlesticksandTicks

5 | 3 hours ago

Mike Brown brings him in to close out games in late 3rd and 4th quarters. He’s going to have fresher legs and less decision fatigue.

arto99

3 | 4 hours ago

Recently he has played quality minutes and good with 3s too.

PassMeTheBackwood | Knicks

4 | 4 hours ago

The final roster spot was a tryout between Landry Shamet and Garrison Matthews

AbjectAffect91 | Knicks

3 | 3 hours ago

Malcolm Brogdon was the favorite till he decided to retire. Shamet was 2nd. Garrison Matthews didn’t have a chance.

mathis4losers | Knicks

4 | 3 hours ago

Yep, lots of folks who don’t watch or know what they’re watching still think he’s just a shooter. Guys a high quality 3 and D who can also create.

Chao-Z | Knicks

5 | 3 hours ago

Nah, he can’t really create, but he can put the ball on the floor, which makes him more useful than guys like Dean Wade.

mathis4losers | Knicks

2 | 2 hours ago

Maybe that’s a better way to put it

ObiOneKenobae | Knicks

3 | 3 hours ago

Yup, that matchup was a huge turning point in game 1.

peanut-britle-latte | Knicks

3 | 3 hours ago

This matches my eye test. He’s fighting through screens like hell, is constantly beating Mitchell to his spots and Shamet may have a height/strength disadvantage vs other scorers but it’s not present vs Mitchell.

OddProof807

3 | 44 minutes ago

Matchups are so weird sometimes. He’s like the perfect combination of speed and strength to give Donavan fits right now. Consistently beating him to spots, and being unmovable lol…

testiculardescendant | Knicks

2 | 4 hours ago

Landry guarding the 2: Shamboogaloo

Prideofmexico | Knicks

2 | 3 hours ago

Kansas City DNA

press_Y | Knicks

2 | 2 hours ago

He’s a dawg on a team full of dawgs. My boy stayed ready while he was out of the rotation and recovering from injuries. True professional. He’s gonna get paid and deserves every penny

crimsonconnect | Knicks

1 | 4 hours ago

Fresh legs vs dead legs

Wavepops

1 | 4 hours ago

Mitchell body is broken down again. Happens every playoff run with him now

Ill-Enthusiasm-5530

2 | 3 hours ago

He just can’t deal with playoff basketball. Never has been able to.

livefreeordont | 76ers

1 | 3 hours ago

James Harden and playing next to stars who break down in the playoffs lol

Wavepops

1 | an hour ago

Yea durability wise the last 4 years it’s the same story. He plays so explosively but he ends up with something hampering him, and he’s getting older now

darrylmacstone

1 | 3 hours ago

Watching Mitchell is how it feels being in your late 30s going to play pickup with the youngsters. You might still find a shot, but you’re working twice as hard for it and that first step isn’t beating anyone like it used to.

Not to take away from Shamet, he’s been a great role player.

dmac005 | Cavaliers

1 | 2 hours ago

Mitchell’s got some undisclosed injury. Not making excuses for him though, he’s been inconsistent as hell even without that injury.

Overall our team has been running on the fumes of our fumes after two exhausting series led by Harden the grey beard. We got royally fucked by the Barrett shot and been on the backfoot since then.

silliputti0907 | NBA

1 | 2 hours ago

I swear every year I see Landry on a new team, but it’s always in the playoffs.

blueye525 | Knicks

1 | 8 minutes ago

Shamet has been a stud. Glad he’s getting his flowers in such a big moment

mucho-gusto | CLE

0 | an hour ago

I think Mitchell has an injury, he’s looked like ass most of the playoffs

wkp2101 | Knicks

0 | 38 minutes ago

I feel like Shamet has been mostly guarding Donovan in the fourth quarter when Mitchell has already quit

This_Cable_5849

-1 | 4 hours ago

I don’t disagree. But Mitchel has looked like he is hurt dating back to the middle of the Pistons series. Some nights he can still get his points but he isn’t right. Could be just that he is burnt out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is an injury release later

Queasy_Salad7444

-4 | 4 hours ago

mitchell is not mitchell rn

mathis4losers | Knicks

3 | 3 hours ago

Mitchell is a bucket, but he can’t help his team when the shot isn’t there are coming too difficult.

Queasy_Salad7444

-2 | 3 hours ago

that’s funny when your best player isn’t any better when that happens

mathis4losers | Knicks

4 | 3 hours ago

I assume you mean Brunson who had 14 assists in Game 2. He’s also a much better ISO player who can generate easier looks when his shot isn’t falling. Here are some quick ISO Stats for you:

Brunson: 1.16 PPP, 1.5% TOV Frequency
Mitchell: 1.01 PPP, 4.5% TOV Frequency

Queasy_Salad7444

-2 | 3 hours ago

you’re looking at a 4 gam sample size… were the cavs are missing open shots so assist numbers are down. Brunson also has so much more space to operate… and brunson and mitchell bot aren’t the best playmakers… idc that brunson has 14 assist. mitchell has had 11 before… also brunson is 10 times a worse defender than mitchell

mathis4losers | Knicks

4 | 2 hours ago

Those iso stats are for the entire playoffs.

also brunson is 10 times a worse defender than mitchell

Knicks have far and away the best defense in these playoffs. However bad you think Brunson is on defense, it’s not affecting the team because couldn’t be better.

Queasy_Salad7444

-1 | an hour ago

yeah it’s almost like having more around you helps… and bruson didn’t face the perimeter defenders that mitchell did. it’s pointless to compare individual stats like that

wkp2101 | Knicks

1 | 36 minutes ago

Round one Brunson was guarded mostly by Dyson Daniels aka the great barrier thief.

Queasy_Salad7444

1 | 32 minutes ago

lmfao

press_Y | Knicks

3 | 2 hours ago

Lil bro stopped short of saying analytically you’re up 2-1. Back in the real world 🧹🧹🧹🧹

[deleted]

-7 | 4 hours ago

[deleted]

JonnyGBuckets | Knicks

8 | 4 hours ago

Maybe don’t make generalizations about fan bases. Feels very reductive.

[deleted]

-6 | 4 hours ago

[deleted]

Landry Shamet has been ridiculously good at defending Donovan Mitchell through the first 3 games of the ECF