Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau praised his team’s “mental toughness” after waking up early to prepare for Saturday’s game at Madison Square Garden after a four-game trip to the West. .
That’s certainly what Miles McBride continues to embody, playing the full 48 minutes in the Knicks’ 105-93 win over the Nets. He recorded performances of more than 40 minutes for three years in a row, but only took a total of about five minutes of rest during those performances.
“Honestly, it’s a mental thing,” McBride said. “I tell myself to keep pushing forward and doing everything I can to keep winning.”
McBride, who started for Precious Achiuwa for the second straight game, scored 26 points on 9-of-16 field goals, including six 3-pointers.
When asked if he wanted a submarine, he added, “I was trying not to look.” “She wanted to be there.”
The Knicks returned home after an easy four-game series against lottery-winning teams, but they knew their rival across the East River would still be a challenge, so McBride had Nets sharpshooter Cam Thomas I was given the guard.
Despite averaging 25 points in his past seven games entering Saturday, Thomas was held to 19 points and went just 1-of-5 from beyond the arc.
“Deuce’s defense was great because he’s chasing Thomas around and Thomas is a burden to have to deal with,” Thibodeau said.
McBride, 23, wasn’t used to a minute-by-minute uptick until he signed a $13 million, three-year contract extension on the same day RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were traded to the Raptors.
The third-year guard went from not getting any time on the court to solidifying his role as a full-time player in the Knicks’ rotation with plenty of playing time.
Since the Dec. 30 trade and extension, McBride has played 35 minutes or more in eight games, six of which have been 40 minutes or more.
In the same eight games, he averaged 17 points.
“The problem is you. There’s nothing I don’t like about Deuce,” Thibodeau said of the guard’s big performance. “From the moment we drafted him and even when he’s not playing, you can tell a lot by the way he works. The guy’s work ethic is also a big part of it. His drive… it’s Credit to him. He’s in incredible shape. He’s in incredible shape. He takes care of himself. So I think he’s capable of doing that. [long minutes]”
Off the court, rest is important for McBride, along with running, cycling and “competition-like” practices to help with physical fitness.
Mental strength, he said, is something that has been cultivated forever.
“It started with how I was raised when I was a kid. My parents always told me to be mentally strong, you’re a leader,” McBride explained. “People are looking at you. So if I fail, it’s the same thing, so I just want to be as strong as I can and keep doing what I’m supposed to do.”
