Jose Alvarado seizes playoff role as Landry Shamet's collapse reshapes Knicks' bench

Key facts

• Jose Alvarado played 12 minutes and scored 12 points in the Knicks' 126-97 Game 5 win over the Hawks.
• Seven of Alvarado's points came during a key six-minute stretch in the second quarter.
• Landry Shamet managed just three points on 1-of-6 shooting in Game 1 and has totaled nine minutes over the last three games.
• Shamet went 2-of-8 from three-point range and posted a 110.1 defensive rating in the playoffs.
• Alvarado was out of coach Mike Brown's rotation ahead of the postseason due to spotty three-point shooting.
• Alvarado went 2-for-3 from deep in Game 5 after struggling from beyond the arc.
• Josh Hart left the game with 6:27 left in the fourth quarter and did not return after holding his back.
• Mikal Bridges started but was the first starter subbed out, replaced by Miles McBride with 5:49 left in the first quarter.

Alvarado's emergence from the doghouse

Jose Alvarado has arguably been the biggest surprise of this first-round series. He didn't play in Game 1, but by now he has firmly reestablished a role. In the Knicks' 126-97 Game 5 win over the Hawks at Madison Square Garden, Alvarado played 12 minutes and recorded 12 points. Seven of those points came during a key six-minute stretch to start the second quarter, when the Knicks padded their lead and pulled away. “It's just part of the business: stay ready,” Alvarado said. “Whatever the team needs. We're a really good team. They communicated with how it was gonna go. Just stay ready, that's what I did mentally.”

Why Brown turned to Alvarado

Coach Mike Brown previously explained that, because Landry Shamet and Miles McBride struggled as backup point guards earlier in the series, he gave Alvarado a shot to have a more natural point guard on the floor. Alvarado has rewarded Brown for that decision. Alvarado's spotty three-point shooting had become a weakness and was the primary reason he was not in the rotation at the end of the regular season. But in Game 5, he went 2-for-3 from deep. “My teammates found me,” Alvarado said. “I was open and then I made the shots today.”

Shamet's sudden playoff collapse

Landry Shamet's sudden drop-off in the playoffs has been one of the biggest developments for the Knicks in the early going of the postseason. The veteran was supposed to provide a healthy source of points and three-point shooting off the bench after bouncing back in 2025-26. Instead, Shamet went from a sixth man to simply unplayable with his current form. He has stuck out like a sore thumb on a second unit that needs dedicated ball handling, which has resulted in Alvarado rejoining the rotation, while Shamet has been demoted to the garbage time squad. So far, Shamet has been the complete opposite of what he advertised during the regular season. His woes began in Game 1, as the wing managed just three points in 1-of-6 shooting from the field across 17 minutes.

Numbers paint a grim picture for Shamet

Even though it was one dud, head coach Mike Brown had no choice but to shorten Shamet's leash with the Hawks living up to their pesky nature. However, Shamet didn't have the response needed to get back the staff's good graces, as he went scoreless. Even worse, the vet had two poor decisions that became turnovers, which only reinforced the need for a more traditional point guard presence. Since then, Shamet has been one of the players in New York's doghouse. He has totaled just nine minutes over the last three contests, as he hasn't given the team any promising signs. He has severely lacked in both areas of "three-and-D," going 2-of-8 from deep and recording the fourth-worst defensive rating (110.1) among all Knicks in these playoffs.

Ripple effects on Shamet's future and the Knicks' plans

Shamet's contributions during the campaign were certainly appreciated. New York needed to rely on several supporting players with a variety of absences, and Shamet helped answer the call at times. That's not even to mention he was a late addition to this roster and only required the veteran minimum to sign, giving a cash-strapped franchise serious bang for its buck. Shamet's rebound of a season also comes into sharper focus, as he's failing to bring the same level of success to the postseason. Though being a reliable reserve off the bench in-season is nice, rising to the high level that the playoffs demand is what the Knicks truly need from a guy in a featured reserve role on a championship-caliber squad. The entire league is watching Shamet collapse in real-time. Front offices around the NBA are seeing New York not only relegate the wing to garbage time but also face zero negative effects from doing so. That is going to crater Shamet's improved stock again after he was in a position to see a nice raise in the offseason.

Options beyond Shamet: Alvarado, Kolek, and draft picks

It's not like New York absolutely needs Shamet, either, considering its wealth of options on the bench. Part of the appeal of acquiring Alvarado was that he could come back with a cheaper ($4.5 million) player option in 2026-27. There is also young point guard Tyler Kolek, whose role has steadily increased across his first two seasons. Rookie Mohamed Diawara could return in free agency as well. Speaking of youngsters, the Knicks have three picks (No. 24 and two second-rounders) in the 2026 draft to select someone who could easily match or surpass Shamet's output quickly. They would be doing it on a similarly cheap deal but with years of control, and the benefit of helping them develop into something greater. It remains to be seen if Shamet can turn things around, but the early prognosis doesn't appear good, and that will have ripple effects on the offseason. Bringing him back on a vet minimum likely won't even sound appealing after seeing his regression up close.

Injury concerns and lineup adjustments

Josh Hart subbed out with 6:27 left in the fourth quarter, went to the locker room and did not return. Earlier in the game, he had been holding his back in a bit of pain after a hard fall. The Knicks did not have an update postgame. Mikal Bridges remained in the starting lineup as expected, but he was the first Knicks starter to get subbed out, with Miles McBride replacing him with 5:49 left in the first quarter. These developments add another layer of uncertainty for a Knicks team that has already navigated a turbulent postseason rotation. With Alvarado stepping up and Shamet fading, the bench's identity is shifting in real time.

The bottom line

• Jose Alvarado has emerged as a key reserve after being out of the rotation, scoring 12 points in 12 minutes in Game 5.
• Landry Shamet's playoff collapse has been dramatic: he has totaled nine minutes over the last three games and posted a 110.1 defensive rating.
• Coach Mike Brown turned to Alvarado because Shamet and McBride struggled as backup point guards earlier in the series.
• Alvarado's three-point shooting, a weakness in the regular season, improved to 2-for-3 in Game 5.
• Shamet's poor performance may crater his free-agent stock, and the Knicks have cheaper alternatives like Alvarado, Tyler Kolek, and draft picks.
• Josh Hart left Game 5 with a back injury and did not return; the Knicks had no update postgame.