Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said Miles McBride missed his second consecutive game as he waited for his inflamed knee to “settle down.”
Sixth man McBride hyperextended his left knee in the second game of the season last month and played the next nine games with black plastic wrap around his knee.
Thibodeau isn't often very specific about injuries, but he said after Monday's 134-106 win over the Knicks against the Wizards that he doesn't know if the inflammation is related to the hyperextension he suffered in October.
“I don't really know. We just want to calm this down,” the coach said. “And when he's ready to go, we don't want him to stay too long. He's getting better little by little. Just be patient.”
Cam Payne was the only guard off the bench and scored 17 points on 5-of-6 3-point range, while rookie Pacham Dadiette had 9 points on three 3s.
Payne made five 3-pointers in the two wins against the Nets.
“It’s another spark plug,” Thibodeau said. “I like the energy and the pace of the game that he brings off the bench, and obviously he's getting better, but we're still trying to find a rhythm with that group. But he plays fast. He likes to play, and his energy is invaluable. He can handle the ball and he can play off the ball.”
Thibodeau said he “believes” that Precious Achiuwa, who has not played yet this season due to a hamstring strain, will accompany the team on the team's five-game, 10-day road trip that begins Wednesday in Phoenix.
Achiuwa was on the team's last long road trip over Halloween, but did not play.
One source expressed optimism that Achiuwa would be allowed to at least practice during the road trip, which includes games in Utah, Denver, Dallas and Charlotte.
Without Achiuwa, Thibodeau has improved his defense by consistently using Jericho Sims as his backup center, who had seven points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes on Monday.
“If you look at Jericho, he's No. 1 among centers in defensive field goal percentage in limited games.” [area]'' Thibodeau said. “So I know what he has to offer there.”
Karl-Anthony Towns suffered a hard spill in the third quarter of Sunday's win over the Nets, scoring 24 points and 12 rebounds in 25 minutes, but was not listed on the injury report. …The Wizards are without 20-year-old Bilal Koulibaly, who suffered a head injury after being elbowed in the face Sunday against the Pistons.
