The New York Knicks‘ 119-112 from start to finish win over the Golden State Warriors will be remembered as the Miles McBride game.
“McBride got free — he scored 11 points in the first five to six minutes,” Warriors star Stephen Curry told reporters after the game.
McBride, the former second-round pick, just earned his 10th career start after OG Anunoby had to return to New York due to his surgically repaired right elbow flaring up and rose to the challenge.
Known more for his defense, McBride’s offense kept going all night as he outscored Curry, 29-27, and made a career-high six 3-pointers.
“We kept Jalen [Brunson] pretty quiet to start but [Isaiah] Hartenstein got three floaters or finishes in the paint and they were kind of spreading the floor,” Curry told reporters when asked to explain the 18-4 Knicks start. “They played a starting lineup that gave Hartenstein the ability to roll. He and Brunson played pick and roll then when McBride was hitting shots, they had every option open and they were making them. We never got stops that led to the transition.
McBride also hit the crucial 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter when the Warriors were trying to make a comeback. He played all but 1:29 in an almost continuous role for the short-handed Knicks, who were missing three starters.
Miles McBride Sets the Tone
McBride’s defense set the tone for the Knicks' victory as he kept Curry from scoring in the opening quarter. Curry did not score his first field goal until there were only 5:23 remaining in the second quarter.
McBride restricted the greatest shooter in NBA history to 4 of 13 shooting and 2 turnovers in the 51 possessions as his primary defender. Curry ended up with 8 for 20 from the field and 4 of 13 from 3-point range.
McBride revealed he studied a lot of footage of Curry to prepare for the most difficult defensive assignment of his young career.
“Just understanding the routes he takes. Obviously, he doesn’t stop moving. He’s the greatest shooter in the history. So, just trying to do my best and continuously fight through screens, be physical and do whatever I can to disrupt him.”
Miles McBride’s Development
Long sidelined on the Knicks bench, McBride finally gained a regular spot in Tom Thibodeau’s rotation when the Knicks traded Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett in the Anunoby trade.
Shortly after the trade, the Knicks signed McBride to a three-year extension worth $13 million, which is now beginning to look like another steal for Leon Rose’s front office.
Since then, McBride has averaged 9.4 points, 1.8 assists, and 1.6 rebounds in 21.1 minutes with a 41.6% 3-point shooting. All his hard work in the G League is starting to pay off for the former West Virginia star.
He was prepared when Thibodeau asked him to start for Anunoby.
“Coach [Thibodeau] came to me. He said he has a lot of confidence in me and just wants me to go out there and play my game,” McBride told Mike Breen and Monica McNutt in the MSG Network’s postgame interview.
What fueled his transformation?
“All glory to God! Just believing in myself. Continuing to shoot with confidence and trusting my work,” McBride said.
The Knicks maintained their unbeaten run in this West Coast trip and extended their winning streak to four even with Anunoby rejoining Julius Randle (shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) in the sickbay.
McBride had the best game of his career, which also helped the Knicks (41-27) stay in fourth place in the East, just two games behind the third-place Cleveland Cavaliers (43-25) and three games behind the second-place Milwaukee Bucks (44-24).
“To be honest, it all starts at the top,” McBride said about the team’s ability to do well in tough times. “Coach Thibs really believes in all of his players. He thinks anyone in the team can step up and perform well.”
