Miles McBride's Resurgence Gives Knicks a Critical Edge Against Hawks

Key facts

• Knicks have a net rating of 29.5 when Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride share the floor this postseason.
• McBride scored 16 and 13 points in Games 3 and 4, shooting 8-for-16 from three-point range.
• McBride underwent core muscle surgery during the regular season and missed 28 games.
• Mikal Bridges scored zero points in Game 3 and has been benched in favor of McBride.
• Game 5 is Tuesday at 8:00 pm ET from Madison Square Garden.
• McBride played 31 and 23 minutes in Games 3 and 4, up from earlier in the series.

A Pairing That Dominates

The numbers jump off the page. When Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride play together, the Knicks often thrive. Entering Tuesday’s Game 5 clash against the Hawks at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks had a net rating of 29.5 points when Brunson and McBride were on the floor together this postseason. That net rating was the highest among the top 12 two-man pairings with the most minutes played across the first four games of this first-round series. The Knicks were excellent on both sides of the ball — with a 120.9 offensive rating and 91.5 defensive rating.

McBride's Role in Relieving Brunson

McBride, as one of the quickest Knicks, has played a pivotal role in helping the team counter the Hawks’ pace. More so than Bridges, he’s been able to take some of the creating burden off Brunson, who is facing constant double-teams and full-court pressure. Though not a natural point guard, McBride — perhaps more than anyone else on the roster besides Brunson and Josh Hart — is capable of bringing the ball up the court, which allows Brunson to collect it in the half-court and avoid some wear and tear. “Try to make his job as easy as possible, as well the rest of the teammates out there,” McBride said of playing with Brunson. “Anytime I’m on the floor, I try to make everybody’s lives easier, whether that’s on the defensive or offensive end. Just bringing whatever I have, whatever my talents are, whatever I see in the game, and do it.”

Playing Through Pain After Surgery

McBride had a rough start to the postseason, clearly still rusty after missing 28 games in the regular season following sports hernia surgery. But he was much closer to his best in Games 3 and 4, recording 16 and 13 points, respectively, on a combined 8-for-16 shooting from 3-point range. His workload was also up, playing 31 and 23 minutes. Recently, the guard got real on how he is playing through pain after undergoing core surgery during the season. “I mean. I had surgery. Yeah. Everybody’s banged up at this time of the year so you’ve gotta go out there and perform,” said McBride.

Bridges' Struggles Open the Door

It’s notable because in both games, McBride was on the floor for most of the second half in place of the benched — and struggling — Mikal Bridges. Bridges finished with zero points (0-3 FG, 0-2 3Pt), one rebound and two assists across 21 minutes in Game 3, so the Knicks leaned heavily on McBride in that contest. With Bridges continuing to be a non-factor in this series, more minutes could head in McBride's direction. “He’s been playing great,” Brunson said of McBride. “To be able to use him in certain actions and play off-ball and obviously his shooting capability, the way he plays defense and everything, he does a lot for our team. So, I think regardless of who’s on the floor, he’s gonna do a lot of great things.”

Series Tied, Momentum Shifts

The Knicks tied up their first round series against the Atlanta Hawks with a resounding Game 4 win on the road. The Knicks turned in their best performance of the postseason in this one, shaking off two straight last-second losses to Atlanta to tie things up heading back to New York. Overall, the Knicks have played like the better team for the majority of this series, but they’ll still need to put in work in order to win two out of the next three against the Hawks. If Game 5 ends up going down to the wire, New York will want to learn from some of their previous crunch time mistakes in this series and execute better down the stretch.

What's at Stake in Game 5

Game 5 of this series is set for Tuesday evening at 8:00 pm ET from Madison Square Garden in New York. The Knicks will rely on the Brunson-McBride duo to continue their dominant two-way play. McBride’s ability to create and shoot, combined with his defensive tenacity, gives New York a crucial weapon against Atlanta’s pace and pressure. The series now becomes a best-of-three, with the winner of Game 5 gaining a significant advantage. For the Knicks, the path to advancing may well run through their backup point guard.

The bottom line

• Miles McBride's return from core muscle surgery has given the Knicks a potent two-way pairing with Jalen Brunson.
• The Brunson-McBride duo leads all two-man lineups in net rating this postseason at 29.5.
• McBride's ability to handle the ball and shoot has alleviated pressure on Brunson, who faces constant double-teams.
• Mikal Bridges' struggles have opened the door for McBride to see increased minutes, especially in crunch time.
• Game 5 at Madison Square Garden is pivotal, with the series tied 2-2 and the winner gaining a major edge.