Miles McBride’s hot hand should not be confused with a full-time fix for the Knicks’ backup point-guard problem.
That’s the warning as Jose Alvarado’s left ankle sprain puts his status in doubt for Orlando. Alvarado showed up on Saturday’s injury report as questionable, and if he cannot go, New York will have to make up both minutes and ballhandling. Those are related needs, but they do not have to be handled by the same player.
McBride certainly made his case as a scorer against Boston on Friday. He put up 20 points in 30:05, buried six of eight threes, and finished with one assist and no turnovers. That’s a strong offensive night, but it doesn’t automatically turn him into the answer for every guard responsibility behind Jalen Brunson.
The simplest lesson from that game is that shooting and organizing are different jobs. McBride’s six made threes tell you he should keep getting chances to fire away.
They do not, by themselves, prove he should be the one running the second unit. One assist does not mean he can’t create for others, but it does mean that performance should not be used to answer a separate question.
Alvarado’s own line against Boston - two assists and three turnovers in 10:46 - suggests New York still needs cleaner reserve possessions even if he plays. If he doesn’t, the Knicks’ options shift, and Mike Brown’s lineup experiments become more important.
One possibility would be staggering Jalen Brunson’s minutes so McBride isn’t always forced to create the first advantage. Another would be giving Tyler Kolek a short look next to McBride if Alvarado sits. That would be a test of a pairing, not a declaration that Brown has settled on a new rotation.
There are tradeoffs either way. A smaller backcourt can bring a defensive problem with it, and another guard is no cure if the possessions still get messy. McBride may wind up handling more of the burden simply because that combination works best.
Still, the Knicks would be better served by letting the lineup determine the answer. McBride has earned more shots.
Using his scoring burst to patch an injury is one thing. Turning one hot night into a referendum on three different guard roles is another.
In Other News...
Dalton Knecht May Be Chasing The Wrong Knicks Role
Dalton Knecht brings the kind of skill set that can get a wing noticed quickly: a 6-foot-6 frame, deep shooting range and the kind of offensive instincts that made him a roughly 40 percent three-point shooter in college and early pro play. For a Knicks team trying to win now under Mike Brown, that sort of shot-making is always intriguing, especially when the rotation is built around players who already know the system and can fit into defined roles.
The issue is that the path to steady minutes is not just about making shots. Knechts defensive limitations and modest playmaking profile make him a tougher fit on a roster where he already sits behind several players on the depth chart, and where younger options are competing for the same opportunity with more familiarity in Browns system. For a player whose best argument is instant offense, the challenge may be less about proving he can score and more about showing he can survive the other parts of the job long enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Fans Wont Love Why Mitchell Robinson Landed In Boston
Mitchell Robinsons move to Boston is the kind of offseason development Knicks fans are still likely to notice, especially given how long he had been part of the picture in New York. Once the longest-tenured player on the roster, Robinson ended up signing with the Celtics after the Knicks did not make him an offer, a decision that quietly shifted one of the more familiar faces in the organization to a rival in the East.
Robinson hasnt made much of the switch publicly, saying he holds no bad feelings about leaving and that Boston offered him a starting role. For the Knicks, it is another reminder of an offseason shaped by bigger concerns than nostalgia, with Mike Brown already addressing the teams defensive issues and Mikal Bridges shooting slump while the club also dealt with statements tied to a championship ring phishing email incident. [Read more 🡒]
Former Lakers Guard Dalton Knecht Faces A Humbling Next Step
Dalton Knechts path back into NBA rhythm now runs through Westchester, after the Knicks signed the former Lakers guard to a two-way contract following his waiver in Los Angeles. It is a familiar kind of reset for a young player trying to stabilize his footing, and for New York it offers a low-risk way to keep a talented shooter in the organization while letting him get meaningful minutes.
Mike Brown said Knecht will primarily be used with the Knicks G League affiliate so he can play regularly, and that makes the Westchester season opener on November 6 against the Maine Celtics worth a closer look. For a player coming off a rough turn in his NBA journey, the next step is less about headlines than about building back confidence and showing he can handle the grind that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]