For Miles “Deuce” McBride, career-high points in back-to-back games didn't matter.
It looked like a promising win for the Knicks and their backup point guard, who started the second straight game in place of the injured Jalen Brunson, but the game ended in a 98-94 loss to Orlando at the Garden.
After scoring a career-high 19 points against the Grizzlies on Saturday and then scoring 20 points in Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. Day game, McBride was asked if he felt good, “Honestly, no.” I answered. “For me, I would like to win with zero points. That's my mindset. It wasn't enough to get the win. That's pretty much what I have to say about that.”
The 2021 second-round pick out of West Virginia got off to a strong start, hitting his first two 3-pointers.
His momentum continued to pull the Knicks into the fourth quarter, hitting deep shots, grabbing steals and deflecting passes on consecutive possessions.
This sequence of events drew a standing ovation from the Knicks bench and a loud cheer of “deuce” from the crowd.
McBride has been given a lot of responsibility in the absence of Brunson, the Knicks' leader, but he said he was unable to take on that responsibility in the final minutes as the Knicks went cold on Monday.
“I think that was my fault as a point guard. I just needed to get everyone where they needed to be and manage the game a little better at the end,” he said. “They went on a couple of runs with some tough buckets. I should have gotten the rebound, but I think that's on me. Just making sure we got everyone where we needed to be and taking the initiative.” You have to hold onto it.”
Teammates and head coach Tom Thibodeau praised McBride's effort, which was expected given the opportunity.
“I'm very happy with Deuce and he's given us really good minutes. He's been doing great,” Thibodeau said.
“I knew he was a talented player,” Anunoby said when asked if he knew about McBride's skills before joining the Knicks. “I also remember him from college. So I always thought he had talent.”
McBride made 8 of 17 field goals, 4 of 10 from deep, and had two rebounds, two steals, one assist, and one block.
