Not even the most ardent supporters of Miles McBride could have pictured this. Selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, he was traded on draft night to the New York Knicks. Nicknamed and often called ‘Deuce’, McBride struggled to crack the rotation for New York in his first two seasons. He struggled to make shots when on the court. Now the 23-year-old is setting a Knicks playoff record in his first meaningful postseason action during Game 1 of the opening round.
Miles McBride Sets Surprising Franchise Record in Game 1 Win
One of the Keys to Knicks Game 1 Win
In the second quarter alone, McBride outscored the Philadelphia 76ers 13-12 in their Game 1 opening round matchup. The third-year pro finished the game by connecting on five of his seven three-point tries. His final box score consisted of 21 points, three rebounds, and four assists.
In his 28 minutes on the court, the Knicks outscored Philadelphia by a whopping 37 points. Being that New York won 111-104, that means the 76ers outscored them by 30 when he sat.
According to Statmuse, that +37 is the best mark in a postseason game in Knicks franchise history (dating back to 1997). The previous best was a +29 by Chris Childs on May 9, 1998. While plus/minus wasn’t tracked in the championship seasons featuring Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, and others, it still is an impressive feat.
Deuce Wasn’t Only Reserve to Make Huge Impact
What made the Knicks’ Game 1 win even more impressive is that some members of their starting lineup did not have great games by their standards. All-Star Jalen Brunson didn’t hit shots that normally fall for him, and he finished shooting 8-26 from the field. Donte DiVincenzo had just eight points on 3-10 shooting. Head coach Tom Thibodeau only went eight deep with his rotation in Game 1, but all three reserves (including McBride) played huge roles.
Bojan Bogdanovic has looked much more comfortable over the last few weeks since coming over in a trade from the Detroit Pistons. He scored 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and went 3-6 from beyond the arc. The 35-year-old finished as a +27 which is tied for the third-best by a Knicks player in a playoff game since 1997.
Injured much of the season, center Mitchell Robinson had his best game since returning. In 30 minutes, he scored eight points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and rejected four shots. An awful free throw shooter, Robinson calmly sank two free throws near the end of the game to help secure the victory. The 26-year-old also played tough defense on the reigning MVP Joel Embiid. New York outscored the 76ers by 20 in Robinson’s 30 minutes.
Knicks Have McBride Locked up at a Bargain Rate
In late December, the Knicks and Miles McBride agreed on a three-year extension worth just $14 million. He is now signed through the 2026-27 season. The deal was agreed upon before McBride was a vital part of the rotation as Immanuel Quickley was receiving the backup point guard minutes.
In 68 regular season games in 2023-24, McBride averaged 8.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. He shot 45.2% from the field and 41.0% from three-point territory. In his first two seasons, McBride combined to shoot just 33.7% from the field and 28.2% from beyond the arc. With his improved play McBride’s contract looks like an absolute steal for the Knicks.
