Knicks Give Uncertain Update on Injured Guard

The New York Knicks have gone without Deuce on three consecutive occasions but they sound willing to wait it out.

Prior to Monday’s blowout victory over the Washington Wizards, head coach Tom Thibodeau offered a tepid update on reserve point guard Miles McBride, implying patience and due diligence as he works his way back from knee inflammation.

“I’m not quite sure. We just want to let it calm down,” Thibodeau said, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “Once he’s ready to go, we just don’t want him to linger. [He’s] getting a little better, just be patient.”

A pessimist could view Monday’s pregame injury report as a regression in McBride’s recovery: he was a game-time decision for each of the last two games but was fully ruled out long before tip-off against Washington. The knee injury interrupted a solid start to McBride’s season as the Knicks’ undisputed sixth man, one that saw him start on career-best notes of 10.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in over 26 minutes per game.

Despite the departure, the Knicks (8-6) have managed to make the best of the situation by winning three in a row. McBride’s minutes have been filled by Cameron Payne with some assistance from first-round rookie Pacome Dadiet. Payne has been particularly impressive, shooting 14-of-24 from three-point range over the past five games since returning from a hamstring ailment.

“I like the energy he brings off the bench, the pace of the game,” Thibodeau said of Payne before he went 5-of-6 from three in the 134-106 demolition of the Wizards, per Bondy. “He likes to play fast and that energy is invaluable. He can handle the ball, he can play off the ball as well.”

Time will tell if McBride is able to partake in the Knicks’ lengthy road trip that takes up the rest of the month. Things get underway on Wednesday when they face the Phoenix Suns (10 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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