Knicks sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo attempted to will his team to victory in Sunday’s Game 7. His team, however, came up short but DiVincenzo etched his name into NBA record books.
DiVincenzo made nine three-pointers in Sunday’s 130-109 loss, setting an NBA record for most made treys in Game 7 history. The onslaught contributed to a game-high 39 points. He shot 11-for-21 from the field (9-for-15 from deep) while trying to keep the shorthanded Knicks afloat with Jalen Brunson ruled out in the second half due to a fractured left hand.
“This team, this organization, everybody around us, we just have a no-quit mentality. That’s all it is,” DiVincenzo said about his attempts to keep the Knicks in the game. “No matter what their lead was, we were together the entire game. You just try to will yourself back into the game. We cut it to single digits. Like you said, you just have to tip your cap to them. They knocked down a lot of shots today.”
The postseason record comes months after DiVincenzo shattered the Knicks’ single-season record for three-pointers made in a season (241). The record was set last season by guard Evan Fournier, who was dealt to the Detroit Pistons in a midseason deal that landed Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks in New York.
DiVincenzo ended the regular season with 283 three-pointers made at a 40% clip, which is a career-high. The reliable shooter continued his success beyond the arc by finishing the postseason with three made three-pointers per game, which ranks sixth overall. The mark ranks fourth among players who reach the second round.
“Yeah, absolutely,” the shooter said if 2023-24 was his best season. “I’ve talked about this before. I’ve been on different things, and there’s different roles that you play, but I think this is the first time in my career where — it’s been a funky year.
“You come in, you have a whole different team than what you do midway through the year and then guys go down. Your role expands. Now you get to show what you were behind closed doors for every single day in the offseason, and then that trust continues to build within not only just the locker room but with your coaching staff, with everybody.
“I think the biggest thing for me that I’ve learned is how to adjust to how other teams are guarding me. It’s always been they’re guarding four, five other guys before me. A lot of the time this year, it was Jalen [Brunson] and then it was me. And to be able to take on that responsibility and learn from it I think is a huge thing, to just be able to learn and adapt to build off of that in the offseason.”
FAN LOVE
DiVincenzo’s first season in orange and blue made an impression on Knicks fans. In the final moments of Game 7, The Garden Faithful gave him a roaring ovation as he walked off the court.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he said when asked if it was cool hearing the chants. “The amount of love I have for the Garden and for Knicks fans, they carried us a lot throughout this season. A lot of injuries and stuff, but to hear that, there’s a special place in my heart for just the support. Ups and downs, it doesn’t matter. Bad game, good game, they ride with you and you really feel that.”
PROUD OF THE TEAM
On Sunday, the losing locker room was filled with players sharing their appreciation for each other in a season filled with injuries. DiVincenzo let reporters know how he felt about his Knicks team.
“There’s only so much you can overcome,” he said. “But you can start from every single guy in this locker room, honestly, we’ll be here all day talking about each one of them. The way the guys stepped up this year. Even in the playoffs, Alec Burks was huge. It’s not easy to do. But like I said, I can go top to bottom with this roster. I’m extremely grateful to be in this locker room with these guys. The goal is everybody coming back and let’s do it again.”
