The deuce came loose.
But any chance of an encore on Martin Luther King Jr. Day hinges on Jalen Brunson's “questionable” appearance.
Miles “Deuce” McBride didn't play behind Brunson very often, especially when Immanuel Quickley was also on the roster.
But with Quickley leaving in a trade and Brunson making a rare appearance on the disabled list Saturday, McBride got the ball and ran with it for a career-high 39 minutes during the Knicks' 106-94 win in Memphis. He scored a career-high 19 points. .
He played the entire game until the second half as the Knicks dominated the scoreboard against the injury-riddled Grizzlies.
McBride's shot was the key. After being inconsistent during his 2¹/₂ season, he was 7 of 10 on Saturday, including 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.
McBride understood the mission.
“We knew if we wanted to win, we had to contribute big points,” McBride said. “Jalen obviously scores a lot of points for us. Even though he couldn't carry the bag, we felt he could give the team an extra boost.”
However, McBride's significant contribution may not last long.
Brunson is listed as questionable again for Monday's game against the Magic with a calf bruise, but the injury won't last too long.
Brunson leads the league in total minutes played, but has only missed one game this season.
For McBride, training year-round for opportunities that may be fleeting or never come is an occupational oddity.
But McBride, a second-round pick, didn't complain and recently signed a three-year, $13 million contract with New York.
It helps that he's one of the most cheerful people in the Knicks' locker room, always smiling.
“You prepare. You do a lot of long training and running in the summer and you know at some point it's going to be a long season and your name is going to be called,” McBride said.
Brunson won't log nearly 39 minutes if he's healthy, but McBride will continue to do so to replace some of Quickley's minutes and barring a trade.
His 3-point shooting is a key indicator of whether the shift has been successful, and his percentage has improved significantly this season at 48 percent, more than 20 percent higher than his average in his first two seasons. .
But the telling sign Saturday was that the Knicks trusted Julius Randle, rather than McBride, to take the ball out and start the offense.
The overall results were sloppy with 22 team turnovers, raising concerns that the Knicks would not be able to sustain the long absence of their starting point guard.
But playmaking isn't McBride's role.
At least not right now.
His defense kept him on the floor for about 10 minutes spelling out Brunson.
McBride chases the ball.
That's part of his underrated athletic ability.
After all, the 23-year-old was once an elite quarterback prospect in high school and drew interest from Ohio State and Michigan State.
A severe foot injury as a junior changed that trend.
Universities began withdrawing offers, especially basketball scholarships, but West Virginia coach Bob Huggins stuck to his guns and McBride removed his shoulder pads.
“I’m definitely lonely. [football]'' McBride said. “If I hadn't gotten injured, this might not have happened. But I miss my friends who played there and the camaraderie in the football locker room is a lot different than it used to be. But not being able to play… I have no regrets.”
McBride's athleticism was once displayed with scrambles and 75-yard throws (which he told the Post was his max in high school), but now he's showing off his impressive dunks in pregame warmups. proven ability.
McBride, who is only 6 feet 1 inch tall, said he likes to finish each with a slam-dunk competition-worthy jam “just to make me feel good.”
In a game earlier this month, McBride completed perhaps the most spectacular dunk of any Knick this season, finishing off three Wizards with a buzzer-beating putback.
“I've put a lot of work into my body during my high school, college and NBA career,” McBride said with a smile.
It was a fascinating glimpse into McBride's potential.
And like Saturday, he will have to take advantage of sporadic opportunities.
“We have a lot to show,” McBride said. “The more opportunities we have, the more we should be able to perform.”
