Miles McBride has risen to the occasion over the past couple of months and just had the best game of his young career. Can he emerge as the starting two guard for this team in the years to come?
Since Immanuel Quickley’s departure , Miles McBride has stepped up to the plate and proved his worth on this team. Whether it’s impacting the game with his perimeter shooting or being a pest on the defensive end, McBride has continued to show signs of growth. He is one of the main reasons why the Knicks have been able to stay afloat despite all of the injuries. In the last 10 games, McBride is averaging 11.3 PPG and 3 APG. All this while shooting around 46 % from both the field and the three point line. He seems to be emerging as a vital piece to this team and is really coming into his own. McBride’s latest performance proves this notion to be true.
New York Knicks Starter? Coming Out Party
Recently, in a Monday night game against the Warriors, McBride was thrown into the starting lineup for the 6th time this season to replace an injured O.G Anunoby. In the past, McBride has done a solid job filling in for Jalen Brunson when he’s missed games. Surprisingly, this time was much different than ever before.
McBride erupted for a career high 29 points while also shooting 6\9 from the three point line. Plus, Mcbride was able to slow down Stephen Curry, who shot 4/13 from the field when being guarded by McBride. Furthermore, what makes this even more impressive is that McBride performed this well while playing 47 minutes. Which included him playing the entire first half alongside Josh Hart. They became the first players this season to play an entire half of a game.
When a player has a performance like this, it makes you think about what type of player he can potentially grow into in the years to come. Now, McBride might not be the designated starter in the near future, considering everyone’s healthy. But maybe he can continue to blossom and be the starting two guard for this team one day. Donte Divencenzo is definitely the more deserving starting two guard right now. But Mcbride can make a case for that starting role down the line.
On the other hand, I think McBride being included in that starting lineup we saw on Monday might be something that Tom Thibodeau should think about doing more heading into the postseason.
Playing Super Small
The Knicks ran their four guard lineup with Hartenstein at five to start the game and boy did it give the Warriors problems on both ends.
Josh Hart’s tenacity on the boards and playmaking ability at the PF position is key to why this lineup was so effective. Also, with the way Brunson puts pressure on the defensive while attacking the rim, it creates space and allows a player like McBride to be an effective shooter from the perimeter. Which was a key reason for his big night.
Also, Mcbride’s ability to defend and switch on to both guard positions allows Brunson to not exert so much energy on the defensive end. The fact that Mcbride seems to compliment Brunson’s game speaks volumes on the type of impact he can have on this Knicks team. In the end, McBride probably has a ways to go before being a true starter. But his growth on both ends of the floor should be praised and is something to keep an eye on in the seasons to come.
The regular season is quickly coming to a close and the most important time of the year is on the horizon. Miles McBride has been playing the best basketball of his young career for the past couple of months. He seems to be peaking at the right time. Hopefully, he can keep this momentum heading into the postseason. Maybe he’s not ready yet to be a true starter for this team now. But the future looks bright for him with the Knicks. We’ll see if he can continue to take his game to the next level.
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