New York Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo shoots at the rim during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons in New York, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
Monday night was the benchmark performance of what will be Donte DiVincenzo’s record-breaking season for the New York Knicks.
In a 124-99 win over the Detroit Pistons, DiVincenzo knocked down a franchise-record 11 3-pointers while dropping 40 points — all while trying to stifle verve that came from doing so in front of an electric, sold-out Madison Square Garden.
“Honestly, [star guard Jalen Brunson] was like, ‘bro, slow down,’” DiVincenzo said after his performance. “The crowd was speeding me up. That emotion when you get a sliver of space and you had knocked down nine or 10 of them, and you need that last one, as soon as you catch the ball, you hear the crowd.
“We have the best fans in the league but in that moment, it ramps you up. So Jalen was like, ‘slow down, take your time, and shoot the ball.’
With those 11 3’s, the 27-year-old moved past Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson for the third-most made field goals from beyond the arc in the NBA with 234 this season. It has also put him within seven of Evan Fournier’s franchise record of 241, which was set during the 2021-22 season.
All of this comes during DiVincenzo’s first season with the Knicks after signing with the Knicks this summer. He had never made more than 150 3-pointers in a season and had not attempted more than 378 — both of those coming last year as a member of the Warriors.
But DiVincenzo has received an expanded role in New York, starting more than 50 games and averaging over 27 minutes per game for just the second time in his career. Not only does his 585 attempted 3-pointers obliterate his previous career high, it ranks fourth-most in the NBA, which is a byproduct of the trust between him and his former Villanova teammate in…
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