The New York Knicks have not played a game since completing a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals on May 25.

The lengthy layoff has raised questions about how sharp the Knicks will be when they take the floor at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3.

Guard Landry Shamet spoke on Monday about how the team has been preparing during the extended break, insisting New York has remained focused throughout.

“All that Cleveland stuff’s behind us,” Shamet said. “And the reality is our job at hand right now is making sure our bodies are right; making sure our minds are right; making sure we’re paying attention to details.”

Shamet continued, expressing confidence that the team has done everything within its control to stay ready for the series opener.

“We’ve been incredibly sharp and locked in, and taking care of [what we can] control was just really all you can do,” he added. “And then when the ball is tipped up here in a couple of days, it’ll be right back into the swing of things of a series.”

The concern about rust is not without basis, as the Knicks found themselves trailing the Cavaliers by 22 points in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals after a similar break earlier in the postseason.

On that occasion, the Cavaliers had played in a Game 7 of a conference semifinals series on May 17, taking the floor with more recent competitive action than New York had at that point.

Shamet acknowledged the situation is familiar, pointing to the team’s principles as the foundation for their preparation heading into the Finals.

“This isn’t our first long break that we’ve had,” he said. “So, it’s more of the same, focusing on the details and game plan and not getting too crazy or outside the box.”

He stressed that the Knicks do not need to drastically change their approach, given how they earned their place in the NBA Finals in the first place.

“The reality is we’re here for a reason, and we don’t need to reinvent the wheel entirely,” Shamet said. “Staying with our principles and focusing on the little things and building up to go try to win Game 1.”

Head coach Mike Brown also weighed in on the challenge of playing in a hostile road environment, highlighting the difference between playing at Madison Square Garden and visiting San Antonio.

“Our crowd is one of the best, if not the best, in the league, and the energy that we get from playing here at Madison Square Garden is unbelievable,” Brown said. “There are probably other buildings where, in their players’ minds, they give them that same energy.”

Brown emphasised the importance of not falling behind early, warning that the San Antonio crowd could become a significant factor if the Spurs gain an advantage in the opening stages.

“Knowing that it’s going to be hostile, we don’t have the energy of the crowd to help us get over the hump,” he said. “So we have to come out, not coming out jumping on them, but we have to come out with a purpose, not just physically but mentally as well, so that we don’t fall behind big, because the crowd will really feed into that.”

The Spurs secured their place in the NBA Finals by winning a Game 7 this past Saturday, meaning they arrive with the momentum of recent high-stakes playoff basketball on their side.

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