The Knicks have been economical, to say the least, in how they have handled information about the ankle injury suffered by guard Miles McBride back on December 7. We got an update on December 11 saying that McBride would be re-evaluated a week later, and another update declaring he was back to working on basketball activities. He has been listed as day-to-day since, but on Wednesday, the team announced that Christmas would not be that day.
According to the NBA injury report, McBride remains out for Thursday’s game against the Cavaliers.
This comes days after coach Mike Brown muddied the waters on McBride’s return, which had been tabbed as coming “soon” last week. Brown seemed to contradict that, per beat reporter Kristian Winfield: “Mike Brown says he’s unsure if Miles McBride can sprint at this point. Said he’s working hard and can see him sweating at the practice facility. No clarity on mobility status.”
Miles McBride ‘Close’ to Return … Or Is He?
Brown’s assessment of McBride came on December 21. Three days before that, New York Post beat writer Stefan Bondy noted on Twitter/X: “Miles McBride is getting close to returning. He’s now considered day-to-day, according to the Knicks, and is doing on-court work. He has yet to practice but the Knicks also haven’t practiced or held a shootaround since Monday.”
Thursday’s game will mark the eighth that McBride has missed with the ankle injury.
McBride has been a big-time contributor off the bench, averaging 11.6 points and 27.0 minutes, both of which are career highs. He has also shot 44.4% from the 3-point line on 6.2 attempts per game, which are also career highs for him. McBride is in his fifth NBA season.
GettyJordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks is congratulated by Tyler Kolek #13
Knicks Getting More From 3rd Stringer
In his absence, the Knicks have found themselves gaining increasing confidence in third-stringer Tyler Kolek, the second-round pick from Marquette in 2024. With Jalen Brunson taking a load management absence on Tuesday in Minnesota, Kolek got the first start of his career, and responded with 20 points and 11 rebounds, plus eight assists, three steals and only two turnovers. The Knicks lost, 115-104.
Kolek has averaged 8.3 points, 4.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds since McBride went out, and that does not include the 14-points, five-rebound, five assists effort he turned in to help the Knicks win the NBA Cup, a game that doesn’t count in official stats.
Knicks Would Have Solid Backup Gs With Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek
One of the targets the Knicks were said to have had as the NBA’s trade deadline approaches is a backup point guard–they’ve been discussed as a potential landing spot for Chris Paul, for example. But once McBride is healthy and if Kolek keeps producing, that need seems to have diminished.
Knicks coach Mike Brown still appears ambivalent about Kolek’s defense, but he has been a net positive. Said Kolek, “Anytime you get an opportunity like that, you try to take advantage of it. These guys got confidence in me to go out there and play my game and do what I do. It’s too bad, we just couldn’t get the win.”
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