Iman Shumpert caps fast start with strong finish
Iman Shumpert #21 of the New York Knicks reacts after a foul was called during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Iman Shumpert started fast and finished strong Sunday night. That was good enough to help the Knicks to a 96-93 victory over the Charlotte Hornets at the Garden.
Shumpert scored nine points in the game's first 5:08 as the Knicks took a 10-point lead. But he picked up his second foul 11 seconds later and then spent an extended period on the bench as the Hornets rallied in the second quarter.
Near the end of a topsy-turvy second half that featured 22 lead changes, Shumpert was on the court with Pablo Prigioni and J.R. Smith in a three-guard alignment.
With the Knicks trailing 93-90, Shumpert hit the tying three-pointer with 2:06 left on a broken play. How broken was it?
"It was real broken," said Shumpert, who finished with 15 points and four assists in 25:40. "I almost turned it over. Honestly, Pablo saved the day and somehow the ball came back to me. I figured, 'It's a sign. I'm supposed to do the right thing with it this time.' Luckily, I was able to get him that assist."
Carmelo Anthony hit the go-ahead jumper with 1:23 left and the Hornets didn't score in the final 2:48. The Knicks had their second win in a row and first at the Garden.
"I think we're just trusting each other," Shumpert said. "We don't have any other choice, honestly. Last year, we were not a playoff team, and I think that boils people's blood a little bit."
The two early fouls sent Shumpert to the bench, but Tim Hardaway Jr. (nine points in 10:28) helped pick up the slack.
More importantly for Shumpert, he didn't let the fouls get him down. When it was time for him to get back on the floor, and in crunch time, he had let go of the disappointment.
"Normally, getting those two fouls, that would have [ticked] me off and really ended my game," he said. "I felt like some of the calls were clean stops, and usually I would let that bottle my mind up.
"I just tried to take a deep breath and focus on watching my teammates. Tried to just focus on cheering for them and before you know it, Coach was calling my number again."
If he stays healthy, Shumpert will continue to get his number called because he is one of the Knicks' few plus defenders. But they have not commited to him past this season, declining to give him an extension before Friday's deadline. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
"Somebody's worried about it -- it ain't me," Shumpert said.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
