It didn’t take lengthy for Miles “Deuce” McBride to offer the Knicks a spark.
A mere 14 seconds after he checked into Sunday’s 112-98 win over the Phoenix Suns for the primary time, McBride drilled a 3-pointer.
Lower than three minutes later, he drained one other.
McBride didn’t appear like a participant who had missed the earlier eight video games with a nagging groin contusion.
“It felt great,” McBride stated of constructing these first-quarter 3-pointers. “My teammates found me, and I just wanted to do whatever I can to contribute.”
McBride completed with eight factors on 3-of-6 taking pictures, two assists and two steals in 16 minutes at Madison Sq. Backyard, marking a profitable return for the Knicks’ sixth man.
The backup level guard initially harm his groin throughout a March 19 loss in San Antonio, then aggravated the harm the following evening in Charlotte on the second leg of a back-to-back.
“I would say I’m in the clear,” McBride, 24, stated after Sunday’s recreation. “I leave it up to God.”
McBride is averaging a career-high 9.4 factors in 24.8 minutes per recreation in his fourth NBA season, all with the Knicks. He’s taking pictures 37.3% on 3-point makes an attempt.
His harm got here at an inopportune time, contemplating place to begin guard Jalen Brunson was already out with a proper ankle sprain.
Fellow level guard Cameron Payne additionally missed 4 video games with a proper ankle sprain whereas Brunson and McBride had been injured, leaving the Knicks to depend on second-round rookie Tyler Kolek and trade-deadline acquisition Delon Wright.
“It’s really difficult,” McBride stated of lacking time. “I’m just glad the guys were able to get a lot of wins while I’ve been out, and l just want to come and fit right back in.”
The Knicks went 6-2 with out McBride and 9-6 with out Brunson, who additionally returned Sunday and scored 15 factors on 3-of-9 taking pictures with six assists in 34 minutes.
Sunday marked the primary time in a month that the Knicks’ backcourt was absolutely out there.
“Usually what happens when a guy comes back, he has to get a feel for the game again, and then there’s a play or two where he’ll be tested a little bit,” head coach Tom Thibodeau stated, referring to Brunson.
“Once he realizes he’s good, he takes off. I thought the whole second half there was a different gear for [Brunson], and that’s to be expected. I felt the same way with Deuce. I thought Deuce gave us good minutes the first time back.”
The Knicks have navigated accidents all season. Mitchell Robinson missed the Knicks’ first 58 video games as he recovered from offseason ankle surgical procedure. Karl-Anthony Cities has handled thumb and knee points. OG Anunoby sat out of six consecutive video games after struggling a non-contact foot sprain in February.
However with 4 regular-season video games remaining — together with Tuesday evening’s assembly with the defending-champion Boston Celtics on the Backyard — the Knicks (50-28) are getting more healthy on the proper time.
McBride credit the Knicks’ coaching workers for serving to him keep his conditioning whereas he was out.
“If you watch me, I’m explosive on both ends of the ball,” McBride stated. “I just really wanted to make sure I was comfortable cutting and being explosive.”
Initially Revealed: April 7, 2025 at 1:37 PM EDT
