Miles McBride

Knicks Notes: Center Options, Wing Depth, Brunson, Randle

August 7th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Even if Mitchell Robinson can manage to avoid serious injury this season, he may not be the center the Knicks want on the court once they reach the playoffs, John Hollinger and Fred Katz of the Athletic write in a discussion about the team. Hollinger notes that while Robinson’s skills as a rim protector and offensive rebounder are valuable, New York was at its best with the pick-and-roll game and switchable defense of Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed with Oklahoma City in free agency.

Although he doesn’t expect the Knicks to add another center before training camp, Hollinger believes trade options will become available as the season wears on. He suggests the Suns‘ Jusuf Nurkic as a possibility if Phoenix gets off to a disappointing start or the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, who may be a third-stringer in Portland behind Deandre Ayton and lottery pick Donovan Clingan. Larry Nance Jr., who was recently traded to the Hawks and has an $11MM expiring salary, could also be considered.

Another option that Hollinger and Katz discuss is experimenting with Julius Randle at center. Katz states that coach Tom Thibodeau has resisted using Randle as a small-ball five, but New York’s strong perimeter defense can make up for the lack of a shot-blocker.

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Wing depth has become New York’s best attribute since the trade for Mikal Bridges, Hollinger states in the same piece. He cites Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo as “automatic starters” for most teams, while the Knicks also have Miles McBride to handle minutes at two guard. Hollinger expresses concern about backup point guard, where McBride hasn’t shown an ability to create offense, Cameron Payne is with his fourth team in a little over a year and second-round pick Tyler Kolek isn’t likely to play much as a rookie.
Jalen Brunson has been selected as captain for the upcoming season, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). Brunson, who recently signed a four-year, $156.5MM extension that’s well below his market value, becomes the 36th captain in team history and the first since Lance Thomas during the 2018/19 season. “Jalen is a natural born leader, and I am confident he will continue to represent our organization, fans, city and his teammates with the same heart, grit and class he has displayed each and every day since he came to New York,” team president Leon Rose said.
The Knicks should work out an extension with Randle before the start of the season as a reward for his role in turning around the franchise, David Vertsberger contends in an SNY column. Randle is eligible for a new deal that could be worth up to $181.5MM over four years.

New York Notes: Thomas, K. Johnson, Kolek, Thibodeau, Knicks

July 18th, 2024 at 1:04pm CST by Rory Maher

In an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Nets guard Cam Thomas said he’s been impressed with new head coach Jordi Fernandez so far. Fernandez is currently with the Canadian national team as it prepares for the Olympics in Paris later this month.

“It’s been good,” Thomas said of adjusting to Fernandez. “He’s very smart. He’s very detailed. I think he’ll be good for our young team. I think we’re going the young route, so that’ll be good for us because he’s all about the details and pushes us to be great. I can’t wait to actually get to work with him.”

Thomas also discussed a number of other topics, including his contract situation. The 22-year-old, who led the team in scoring in 2023/24, is eligible for a rookie scale extension until the day before the 2024/25 regular season begins. He would be eligible for restricted free agency in 2025 if a deal isn’t reached.

“You definitely think about it, but it’s not something I’m pushing for,” Thomas told Scotto. “Whatever happens with the organization happens. I can’t control that. The only thing I can control is going out there and playing the best basketball I can play. Whatever happens will happen. I’m not really pressed on it. … I want to keep improving my game to get ready for next season.”

On a related note, Thomas recently switched agents and is now represented by Alex Saratsis, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Saratsis’ agency, Octagon, announced the addition of Thomas to its client list earlier this month.

Here’s more from the NBA’s two New York-based teams:

Lewis’ story is primarily focused on former first-round pick Keon Johnson, who finished last season on a two-way deal with the Nets. An unrestricted free agent who is still just 22 years old, Johnson has impressed with his defense, improved shot and decision-making in Summer League action, per Lewis. The Nets have one standard roster spot and a pair of two-way openings available, and Johnson thinks his play can translate to real NBA minutes. “I mean, I feel like everything that I’m doing out there is completely translated to what I would be doing on the main court, as far as playing defense, spacing the court and making open shots,” Johnson said. “And then whenever I do have the ball in my hands, just making simple reads. I feel like every day in Summer League I’ve kind of been showing that, and hopefully after Summer League, I’ll be able to do the same thing.”
Knicks rookie guard Tyler Kolek isn’t lacking for confidence, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required). The former Marquette star, who was a second-round pick last month (34th overall), has impressed during Summer League action. “I wouldn’t say I’m surprised [how well I’m playing],” Kolek said. “All the work that I’ve put in has gotten me to this point. I’ve been in a lot of games in college. I’m not some first-year rookie that’s just come in playing 10, 12, 15 games in college, maybe only averaged 20 minutes a game. I’ve played a lot of games and I’m really comfortable on the basketball court.”
In the same story, Bondy says there’s still an expectation that Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau will sign a contract extension. Bondy is surprised a deal has yet to be reached, though he acknowledges New York has had a very busy offseason so far.
Fred Katz of The Athletic takes a look at the Knicks‘ roster following the signing of Cameron Payne, writing that the team now has one of the deepest pool of guards in the league. According to Katz, the Knicks view Miles McBride as more of a two than a one, which is why they added Kolek and Payne. Like Bondy, Katz has also heard from sources that Thibodeau is “more likely to extend than not.” Katz also examines Precious Achiuwa‘s free agency, suggesting that a reunion is still possible, but it may behoove both sides to wait and see if any sign-and-trade opportunities arise.

FA/Trade Rumors: Okoro, Pistons, Lakers, Lopez, Grant, Knicks

June 30th, 2024 at 3:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons are a rival suitor to keep an eye on for Cavaliers free agent forward Isaac Okoro, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link).

As Fedor explains, Okoro’s former coach J.B. Bickerstaff is being hired as the Pistons’ new head coach, and the rebuilding squad could afford to be more patient than Cleveland in developing the wing into more of a two-way threat. Additionally, Fedor cites Okoro’s “toughness, competitiveness, tenacity and defense-first credo” as important traits that would help Bickerstaff instill the kind of culture he wants in Detroit.

Okoro received a qualifying offer from the Cavaliers, making him a restricted free agent and giving Cleveland the ability to match any offer sheet he receives. Still, the Pistons will have a significant amount of cap room this summer and could make life hard on the capped-out Cavs with an aggressive offer sheet.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA:

The Lakers have been exploring potential trade scenarios involving D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and Rui Hachimura, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who hears from sources that Bucks center Brook Lopez is among L.A.’s potential targets. Meanwhile, Anthony F. Irwin of LakersDaily.com has heard the Lakers have had conversations with the Trail Blazers about forward Jerami Grant.
It was no coincidence that the Knicks signed Miles McBride to a contract extension on December 30, allowing him to become trade-eligible on June 30 following a six-month waiting period, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. However, that move was more about giving them team flexibility and was made prior to McBride’ breakout. Although New York needs to add salary to its Mikal Bridges trade with Brooklyn to avoid a hard cap at the first tax apron, the club has “virtually no interest” in moving McBride as part of that deal, says Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
The Knicks have had some discussions about trades involving big man Jericho Sims, according to Begley. Sims’ minimum-salary team option was picked up before Saturday’s deadline, so he’s on an expiring deal entering 2024/25.

Knicks Notes: Dadiet, Hartenstein, McBride, Brunson

June 27th, 2024 at 2:11pm CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks selected French wing Pacome Dadiet with the No. 25 pick in the 2024 draft. Still just 18 years old, Dadiet spent last season playing for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany.

Given his age and New York’s financial situation — the team will be hard-capped at the $178.7MM first tax apron if the Mikal Bridges trade is finalized as currently constructed — it would make sense for the Knicks to try and stash Dadiet overseas for at least one season, delaying when he signs his rookie scale contract. However, Dadiet said he plans to play in the NBA next season, which may complicate matters (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic).

Assuming he signs for 120% of the rookie scale, which virtually every first-round draft pick does, Dadiet would project to earn $2,720,040 in 2024/25. That figure might sound relatively modest by NBA standards, but the Knicks are nearly at the first apron already with just eight players under contract.

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As Ian Begley of SNY.tv writes, the Knicks gained a little financial wiggle room by trading the No. 26 pick (Dillon Jones) to Oklahoma City for five future second-rounders. However, they’ll still need to add about $4.4MM in salary to the Bridges deal to avoid being hard-capped at the first apron — doing so would instead hard cap the Knicks at the second apron ($189.5MM). That would give New York the ability to offer Isaiah Hartenstein his Early Bird max of $72.5MM over four years. Still, Begley says Hartenstein is “unlikely” to return unless he’s willing to take a discount, since he has become the top free agent center available after Nic Claxton agreed to a four-year, $100MM deal with Brooklyn.
Sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic that the Knicks have indeed been exploring ways to add salary to the Bridges deal to avoid the first apron hard cap. New York contemplated including Miles McBride, but the team has since “shied away” from that idea, according to Katz, who also hears the Knicks have become “pessimistic” about their chances of re-signing Hartenstein.
Speaking of McBride, the 23-year-old guard underwent surgery on his right pinky toe this week, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). McBride is expected to resume basketball activities later this offseason.
It would be far less lucrative than if he were to wait a year, but a league source tells Katz that Jalen Brunson is still considering signing an extension this offseason. Brunson will be eligible to sign a four-year extension worth approximately $157MM this summer. Waiting until 2025 would make him eligible for a deal worth up to a projected $270MM over five years.

Atlantic Notes: Brown, Bokmeyer, Anunoby, McBride, Hart

May 17th, 2024 at 10:33pm CST by Tristan Tucker

While the Raptors didn’t trade Bruce Brown Jr. again after they acquired him from the Pacers this season, that might change this offseason. The Raptors have until June 29 to exercise Brown’s $23MM team option for next season and, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star, a handful of sources think that Toronto will pick up that option and trade Brown quickly, rather than waiting until the 2025 deadline.

Trading Brown would give the Raptors some leeway when it comes to talks with free agent wing Gary Trent Jr. According to Smith, the sentiment is that Toronto won’t start the season with both Brown and Trent on the roster. Trent is still just 25 and his outside shooting ability might make him more appealing in the long run.

The Raptors acquired Brown as part of the trade that sent Pascal Siakam to Indiana. He averaged 9.6 points in 34 games with Toronto after registering 12.1 PPG in 33 games in Indiana. Despite the slight dip in production, Brown is still viewed as a valuable rotation player with defensive prowess and positional versatility.

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The Nets hired Justin Bokmeyer to their front office as their new director of basketball operations, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reports. This move is likely related to the Hornets hiring away Ryan Gisriel, Brooklyn’s former executive director of basketball and business operations. Bokmeyer worked in international basketball operations before going to the NBA. He also helped guide the NBA Academy program and assisted in launching the Basketball Africa League.
OG Anunoby, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, has missed the past four games for the Knicks. According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz (Twitter link), head coach Tom Thibodeau said Anunoby’s health is “basically the same.” The forward is doing some light on-court work, but it remains unclear when exactly he will return.
Miles McBride began the season on the bench, but the Knicks are now calling on him to handle the most important defensive assignments, Newsday’s Steve Popper observes. He was inserted into the starting lineup in Game 5 and was the primary defender against the engine of the Pacers’ offense in Tyrese Haliburton, who scored just 13 points on the night. McBride still thinks he has room for improvement. “I think I’ve got to go up a level,” McBride said. “… Obviously he didn’t go scoreless, and he was still impactful in a way, so my goal is for guys to go scoreless and to make as minimum of an impact on the game.” McBride finished Game 6 as the team’s second-highest scorer, with only Jalen Brunson (31 points) exceeding McBride’s 20 points.
Josh Hart exited Game 6 in the fourth quarter with what the team called abdominal soreness and didn’t return, according to the team (Twitter link). Hart left the game a couple times due to injury, going to the locker room after the first quarter and again later in the game. The severity is unclear — considering the Knicks were trailing significantly at the time, it’s possible this was more of a precautionary move in order to preserve an important role player for Game 7 on Sunday.

Knicks Notes: McBride, Hartenstein, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Burks

May 15th, 2024 at 7:50am CST by Luke Adams

After losing back-to-back games in Indiana, the Knicks made a lineup change ahead of Game 5, inserting Miles McBride into Precious Achiuwa‘s spot in the starting five. As Ian Begley of SNY.tv writes, the move paid major dividends.

The Knicks outscored the Pacers by 26 points during McBride’s 40 minutes on the court, and the extra spacing afforded by his presence gave Jalen Brunson more room to operate — the Knicks star took advantage by scoring a series-high 44 points in the blowout victory. McBride was also one of the primary defenders on Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, who contributed just 13 points and five assists on the night.

“Huge,” Donte DiVincenzo said of McBride’s impact, per Begley. “Offensively, spacing the floor, being aggressive. And defensively making it hell full court, denying it. Being able to be in help and get back. He was special tonight.”

Despite using a smaller lineup, with the 6’2″ McBride replacing the 6’8″ Achiuwa, the Knicks dominated the game inside. They outscored Indiana by a 62-36 margin in the paint and grabbed 53 rebounds (20 offensive) compared to just 29 (five offensive) for the Pacers. Seventeen of those rebounds, including 12 offensive boards, went to Isaiah Hartenstein, who said playing “physical” basketball was a priority for him heading into Tuesday’s game.

“I feel like the games in Indiana, I wasn’t playing like myself, wasn’t physical,” Hartenstein said, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post. “I was letting them kind of play how I play, so just coming in, that was the biggest thing I wanted to do.”

Here’s more on the Knicks as they prepare to head back to Indianapolis with a 3-2 series lead:

DiVincenzo and Myles Turner got into a brief altercation in the third quarter of Tuesday’s game and had to be separated (Twitter video link). After DiVincenzo threw down a big dunk, he came back up the court and attempted to fight through a Turner screen, but got called for a foul. According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, Turner seemed to take exception with an elbow to the gut from the Knicks wing on the play. “They were trying to be tough guys. And that’s not their identity, and there’s nothing more to that,” DiVincenzo told reporters after the game. “I don’t agree with trying to walk up on somebody. … Nobody is going to fight in the NBA. So take the foul, keep it moving. You’re not a tough guy. Just keep it moving.”
Head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Tuesday that injured forward OG Anunoby (hamstring strain) was doing some “light work” on the court, as Begley tweets. However, in a pregame TNT segment, sideline reporter Chris Haynes (Twitter video link) suggested that Anunoby is probably a long shot to play again in this series, stating that a potential return for the Eastern Conference Finals is more likely.
After not playing in any of the Knicks’ first seven games of the playoffs, Alec Burks has emerged as a reliable rotation piece since Anunoby went down, scoring 14, 20, and 18 points in his past three games. “He’s been giving us huge minutes this series,” Josh Hart said (story via Botte). “He’s a true professional, someone who’s staying ready. You see him every day working hard, getting his shots up. That’s what pros do. When they’re not in the rotation they continue to get better, continue to stay ready. When his number was called he came out and provided for us when we desperately needed it. He’s a true pro, someone who we’re going to continue to rely on for those minutes.”

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Brunson, Hartenstein, Hart, DiVincenzo, Adjustments

May 13th, 2024 at 7:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

OG Anunoby won’t play in Game 5 of the Knicks’ series against the Pacers on Tuesday due to a strained left hamstring, but the injury report isn’t all bad news, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. Jalen Brunson, who is battling a right foot injury, and Isaiah Hartenstein, who banged his left shoulder in Game 4, are not on it. Anunoby hasn’t played since Game 2.

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They were embarrassed by their performance in Game 4, when they lost by 32 points. Ironman Josh Hart took his share of the blame, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post writes. “It’s the playoffs. You gotta find it. That’s something that we didn’t do (Sunday),” Hart said. “I put that on my shoulders, someone who brings energy, brings hustle, the kinda things I didn’t do (Sunday). It’s time to get better. It’s rest and recovery. But mentally, we gotta make sure we’re prepared to do everything we need to do to get a win on Tuesday.”
The Knicks return home for Game 5 and Donte DiVincenzo is confident the Game 4 stinker won’t carry over, according to Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post. “We’ll be fine,” he said. “We’re not worried about it. I know this group and Tuesday is a different game. It has nothing to do with (Sunday). It’s always good to go home. It’s also better to go home after a loss like this where mentally everybody is locked in and ready for the next game and then we will have that energy from the Garden to feed off as well. It’s super big for us. Like I said, this group is going to respond.”
What kind of adjustments can the Knicks make? Fred Katz of The Athletic speculates they might use Brunson more off the ball, running him around screens and having Hart or DiVincenzo initiate the offense. They could also tweak the starting lineup, going with Miles McBride in place of Precious Achiuwa to create better spacing on offense.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Anunoby, Achiuwa, McBride

May 9th, 2024 at 11:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Jalen Brunson‘s streak of four consecutive 40-point games came to an end on Wednesday, but it was another incredible performance for the Knicks guard, who scored a team-high 29 points and returned to the game to lead New York to a double-digit comeback after exiting in the first half due to a right foot injury. No Knick had a better plus/minus in Game 2 than Brunson’s +26 mark, and his teammates suggested it was no coincidence that his return spurred their comeback.

“When he’s out there, there’s a level of calmness,” Donte DiVincenzo said, per Fred Katz of The Athletic. “We’ll get the right shot every single time. There’s a level of confidence from everybody that we have him on the court with us. Everybody can settle down and play their own game.”

Brunson set a new Knicks single-game playoff record by scoring 47 points in Game 4 of the Philadelphia series and is currently averaging 35.6 PPG in this postseason, which would also be a franchise record. The Knicks’ previous single-game playoff record belonged to Bernard King (46 points), who also holds the club record for points per game in a postseason (34.8). King said he has no problem with Brunson taking his place in the record books.

“Records are made to be broken,” King said during an appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “But to have somebody like Brunson break those type of records and providing the leadership that he provides, and understanding the game and looking at how much he loves the game. And the crowd responds to him, it’s just wonderful. I love watching him play. So I’m delighted that he’s the one that actually broke those records.”

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Already ruled out for Game 3 on Friday due to his left hamstring strain, Knicks forward OG Anunoby is also unlikely to be available for Game 4 on Sunday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said during an appearance on NBA Countdown on Thursday (Twitter video link).
With Anunoby joining Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Mitchell Robinson on the injured list, the Knicks’ “next man up” mentality will be put to the ultimate test as they attempt to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, writes Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required). “There’s a lot of guys on this team that can start with other guys in this league, so when we say (next man up), it’s not cliche,” forward Josh Hart said. “It’s not just we’re saying it just because it sounds good. We’re actually saying it because we believe it. I’ve got faith in every one of our guys.”
Peter Botte of The New York Post looks at some of the Knicks’ lineup options with Anunoby out, suggesting that Precious Achiuwa could enter the starting lineup, with Miles McBride earning more minutes. Alec Burks and Jericho Sims will be candidates for rotation roles, though Botte suggests it’s not entirely out of the question that head coach Tom Thibodeau tries a six-man rotation.
This Knicks season is starting to feel like a fever dream, according to Howard Beck of The Ringer, who argues that it’s getting harder and harder not to fall in love with this year’s team.

Knicks Notes: Maxey, Blown Call, Hart, Bogdanovic, Mitchell, McBride

May 2nd, 2024 at 9:33am CST by Dana Gauruder

While much of the focus in the first round series between the Knicks and Sixers was how New York could keep Joel Embiid under control, Tyrese Maxey has become a bigger problem, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post notes.

Maxey has scored more points and dished out more assists than Embiid while shooting 50% from the field. The Knicks have tried to slow down Maxey with a combination of OG Anunoby, Miles McBride and Josh Hart but nothing has worked. They’ll be looking for answers tonight in Philadelphia when the Knicks try once again to close out the series in Game 6.

“They’re really trying to pressure me so that’s where I try to use myself as a decoy. …Tyrese is going to come and make a wide-open layup or shoot it or be able to drive,” Embiid said.

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New York could have already been preparing for the second round if the officials had made the right call in the final minute of regulation in Game 5. Maxey’s pivotal four-point play shouldn’t have counted because he traveled on the play, according to the NBA’s Last Two Minutes report, Bondy relays. “Maxey gathers the ball on his left foot, takes two legal steps, and then moves his right foot again just before he is fouled on his shot,” the NBA determined in its report.
Hart, who has led the league in total minutes since February, says it’s not big deal for him to shoulder a heavy workload — in fact, he believes his significant playing time during the season helped prepare him for the playoffs. “It’s always funny because you see especially now during the playoffs, everybody is playing 40 minutes. Some people can’t do it,” Hart told Bondy. “Some people go from 34 to 41 and they don’t have the energy. It’s something we’ve had to deal with throughout the whole season.” Hart went the distance in the overtime loss on Tuesday, Peter Botte of the New York Post notes, logging all 53 minutes.
Bojan Bogdanovic underwent left foot surgery on Wednesday, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. Bogdanovic, who is also expected to need wrist surgery, will be reevaluated in three months to determine the progress of his foot procedure. The Knicks have a decision to make regarding Bogdanovic this offseason. His $19MM contract is only guaranteed for $2MM.
Mitchell Robinson is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game due to an ankle sprain, The Athletic’s Fred Katz tweets. Robinson played 25 minutes in Game 5 after missing Game 3.
McBride is embracing the steady playing time he’s receiving in the series, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. He’s averaging 13 points in 26.2 minutes in the five games. “I’m just glad I’m getting the opportunity, and able to show other people what I’m capable of,” McBride said.

Knicks Notes: Robinson, Anunoby, Hart, McBride

April 21st, 2024 at 9:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks had to survive most of the season without Mitchell Robinson to anchor their defense, but he made a strong impact in Saturday’s playoff opener, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Robinson, who missed 50 games following surgery to fix a fractured left ankle, showed no signs of the injury as he grabbed 12 rebounds, blocked four shots, and made a pair of clutch free throws to help New York get by Philadelphia. He was able to play 30 minutes, the first time he has reached that total since December 1.

“I felt more energized,” Robinson said. “The crowd helped a lot. Home court, their energy helped us out a lot, so just went out there and played hard.”

Robinson had been on a minutes restriction since returning to action last month. He appeared in 10 games while working to regain his timing and conditioning and splitting time at center with Isaiah Hartenstein, who has also been playing limited minutes. Getting normal production from Robinson could be a difference maker for the Knicks as they hope to make a long playoff run.

“So the whole month of April, we looked at, OK, he’s got to work his way back,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Obviously, when you’re out as long as he’s been, he’s done a great job putting the work into it. In each game, you can see his timing is coming around. Those two big free throws he hit late. But also [he is] able to battle and be physical, move his feet and just anchor the defense. The blocked shots [and] the offensive rebounding is huge.”

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Sixers coach Nick Nurse knows the impact OG Anunoby can have on a game after coaching him for several years in Toronto, Popper adds in a separate story. Nurse sees many similarities between Anunoby’s role on the Knicks and what he used to do with the Raptors. “I don’t think it’s much different. He was a great defender for us,” Nurse said. “He wreaks some havoc off the ball defensively … also on the ball, he’s effective. Once he stops you, just getting it out to the next play on him, he’s effective tipping some of those things. Listen, he can do it from a lot of positions, too.”
With Jalen Brunson struggling through a rare off shooting night, Josh Hart and Miles McBride made sure the Knicks didn’t fall behind in the series, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Philadelphia was able to limit Brunson to 8-of-26 from the field, but Hart contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds, including three important three-pointers late in the game. McBride had 21 points in 28 minutes as New York got a massive lift from its bench. “I knew I was going to be left open, disrespected on the three-point line, and if you base it off numbers in the regular season, I think I shot like 30 percent — so it’s a smart game plan,” Hart said. “For me, it’s just continuing to take the shot. I made my first one and missed my next four. And normally I would have just been hesitant. But I just got to continue to shoot, continue to shoot. Make them respect me.”
In another piece, Bondy looks at how early exits by Atlanta, Chicago and Golden State could benefit the Knicks this summer. He also identifies a few other teams that might be ready to shake up their rosters if they don’t advance in the playoffs.

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