Knicks DiVincenzo Makes Franchise Record 11 3-pointers

There was madness in the Garden on Monday night. Donte DiVincenzo understands the magnitude of March.

The New York Knicks guard captured two NCAA titles and a Final Four Most Outstanding Player in his time with the Villanova Wildcats under Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright. On Monday, he made Knicks history.

DiVincenzo gave the Detroit Pistons some work for 40 points in a 124-99 rout. He knocked down 11 3-pointers in the process, breaking the Knicks’ all-time record for a single game. He did it in front of an electric and appreciative Madison Square Garden crowd.

“Yes, it’s an amazing feeling having the crowd behind you,” DiVincenzo said, “but also like every time you touch the ball, they’re like, ‘Shoot! Shoot!”

DiVincenzo was sitting on 10 triples late in the final frame with the Knicks in command, 115-89. The tally had him in a three-way tie with J.R. Smith, who reached the mark a decade ago in 2014, and Evan Fournier, who matched Smith in 2022. With just over three minutes remaining in the game, he pulled up from the great beyond on the right wing, making the basket and claiming the record for his own.

The home crowd responded with an ovation. Seconds later, head coach Tom Thibodeau subbed him out so he could soak in the moment and receive all his flowers.

“Impressive, and he’s been doing it all year,” Thibodeau said. “I thought his teammates helped create good shots for him, he knocked them down and played hard the whole game.”

DiVincenzo was one of five Knicks to score in double figures against the lowly Pistons, who added DiVincenzo’s moment to a forgettable number of records they have fallen on the wrong end of this season, most notably tying the league’s all-time longest losing streak at 28 consecutive games.

On the night, he shot an efficient 14 of 23 from the field and 11 of 20 from 3-point range. He added five boards, two assists and two steals as the Knicks improved to 43-28 to remain in fourth place in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race.

DiVincenzo has been counted on a lot more than expected in his first season with the Knicks after the loss of All-Star forward Julius Randle since late January with a shoulder injury. They also continue to play without fellow starters OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson.

The Pistons dropped to a league-worst 12-60. And now they are playing for the No. 1 pick in June’s NBA draft.