When Jalen Brunson suffered a brutal ankle sprain from landing on the foot of Austin Reaves in overtime in Los Angeles, many were worried that it would wreck New York’s season. Brunson’s not only the clear best Knick and the offensive engine, he’s also the heart and soul of the entire basketball city. If he can’t return healthy by the postseason, NY has little hope of a deep run. However, it looks like Brunson will return before the playoffs. To make things more optimistic for Knicks fans, the team is 3-2 in his absence and has found some encouraging dynamics they can capitalize on even when he’s back. One of those is the stellar play of Miles McBride in his newfound starting spot. Let’s dive into why McBride should remain a full-time starter.
Miles McBride Should Start Even When Jalen Brunson Returns
As expected, Miles “Deuce” McBride slid into the starting lineup when Brunson was injured. He’s done it before, starting 16 games in 2023-24, including Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Semifinals against Indiana. McBride was terrific in his increased role, averaging 18 points and 3.9 assists on 41.9% from three and 61.9% true shooting. It was truly incredible to see him turn from a situational defensive player into a legitimately good offensive-skill player. He’s now arguably the Knicks’ best spacer because of his off-ball marksmanship.
Because of this, Tom Thibodeau was extremely confident inserting McBride back into the starting group in Brunson’s stead. Fans who had been clamoring for an increased role even with Brunson healthy were grateful, and the WVU product has not disappointed.
McBride Has Produced As a Starter
In the five outings since becoming a starter, McBride has averaged 34 minutes per game. I think people may be surprised how close that is to his optimal minutes usage for this Knicks team, even when the captain returns. McBride began with an extremely rough game as a primary initiator against the tough perimeter defense of the Clippers, where he went 2-13 from the field and had just seven points. In the last four games, however, McBride has kicked it into gear. The 24-year-old is averaging 15.3 points and 4.8 assists on 54.5% from deep.
McBride is clearly capable of producing at a legitimate starter volume for the Knicks. He’s an extremely confident spot-up shooter who can also create his own shot and score from all three levels. He’s even flashed his playmaking chops in this stretch as he’s had more on-ball opportunities. Thibodeau should feel extremely comfortable relying on McBride for 30-plus minutes in the playoffs with a healthy rotation.
New York’s Defense and Offense May Be Better With McBride
As beloved as Josh Hart is in New York City, and rightly so, he’s currently hurting the team. In his last 30 games, Hart is shooting just 27 percent from deep. To make matters worse, he appears to have lost all his confidence in his jumper and refuses to take shots at times. This has allowed defenses to sag off of him and use an extra defender to either protect the rim or double-team Brunson. It gets even more damaging when Mitchell Robinson or Precious Achiuwa are also on the floor as non-shooters. Achiuwa shouldn’t be a part of the playoff rotation, but Robinson will get big minutes for his defense and rebounding. Teams like Boston, Cleveland, and Oklahoma City will find it far too easy to defend the Knicks if they have multiple players to help off of.
Furthermore, McBride is a better defender than Hart. While Hart is a solid on-ball defender and playmaker, McBride is one of the league’s best perimeter guys. As mentioned earlier, he cut his teeth as a pro by being a ferocious on-ball defender who guarded 94 feet. Well, he’s still that level of nuisance for opposing ball-handlers. When McBride, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby are on the floor, it’s nearly impossible for opponents to get dribble penetration. When Brunson returns, it will be difficult to get him in switches because McBride is a better screen navigator than Hart.
Pretty remarkably, the Deuce for Brunson starting 5 has now played more than any Knicks lineup this year other than The Starting Five.
This new starting lineup has played 271 possessions and has a +10 differential (118 ORtg; 108 DRtg).
— Rit Holtzman (@BenRitholtzNBA) March 18, 2025
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There’s a reason why McBride’s on/off rating is +7.2, while Hart’s is -0.9. He improves their spacing, shot creation, perimeter defense, and screen navigation, all of which are essential in the modern NBA. Now, this isn’t a diss at Hart. He’s still incredibly important to the team and is the center of their culture. Hart will regain confidence in his shot eventually, which will boost his value to the Knicks back to positive. However, until further notice, McBride is just the most useful player. Thibodeau should treat him as such.
Photo credit: © Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
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