Miles McBride was spotted leaving the Knicks’ practice facility in a walking boot on Monday morning. Coach Mike Brown mentioned that the guard was headed for an MRI to assess the extent of his left ankle injury.
During Sunday’s win against the Magic, McBride seemed to twist his ankle while driving to the basket. He fell in pain but managed to get back up and attempted a foul shot.
While X-rays showed no significant issues, the fact that he was still in a walking boot on Monday raised concerns about his ability to participate in Tuesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinals in Toronto.
Brown is currently waiting for the MRI results and he’s uncertain whether McBride will be traveling with the team to Toronto. “I actually asked him that before I went in for the MRI,” Brown said. “He said he didn’t know.”
This past month, McBride has been impressive, averaging 14.6 points and hitting 57.4 percent of his three-pointers in the last seven games. His playing time has increased following Landry Shamet’s shoulder injury, which has made McBride quite valuable in a rotation that lacks backup guards.
If McBride cannot play, the Knicks might face some challenges with depth. However, Brown remarked that the backup point guard role doesn’t carry heavy responsibilities. Currently, Tyler Kolek is lined up behind Jalen Brunson, but the team doesn’t perform well with him on the court.
“You all have to watch us. We don’t put pressure on our backup point guards to make plays for others. I call this role the ‘push man,’ and it’s all about getting the ball up and attacking,” Brown explained. “As long as we have players who can pass, dribble, and shoot, we feel confident.”
That said, McBride’s absence would be noticeable. He’s proven to be a reliable three-point shooter and a tough defender. The Knicks (16-7) have not won any of the three games he missed this season.
He had previously missed two games due to a family death and another because of illness.
Brunson praised McBride’s performance, noting, “If something happens like him missing a game due to this injury, it would definitely be a big loss for us. Deuce has been fantastic this year, whether healthy or not. His shooting, defense, everything he does contributes to winning.” He added, “We’ll see how things unfold. But we certainly need him.”
As for Karl-Anthony Towns, he missed Sunday’s game due to a calf strain but participated in Monday’s practice. Still, Brown is not ready to disclose Towns’ status for Tuesday’s match.
