The career-high points in back-to-back games didn’t matter to Miles “Deuce” McBride.
Not after what looked to be a promising win for the Knicks and their backup point guard, who started a second straight game in place of an injured Jalen Brunson, turned into a messy, 98-94 loss to Orlando at the Garden.
“Honestly, no,” McBride said when asked if he had a good feeling after tallying 20 points in Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day game after scoring a previous career-high 19 against the Grizzlies on Saturday. “I’d rather have zero points and a win. That’s just my mindset. It wasn’t enough to get the win. It’s pretty much what I have to say about that.”
The 2021 second-round pick out of West Virginia started off hot, splashing his first two 3-pointers.
His momentum continued to carry the Knicks, including in the fourth quarter when he hit a deep shot, grabbed a steal and deflected a pass on consecutive possessions.
That sequence warranted a standing ovation from the Knicks’ bench and a loud “Deuce” cheer from the crowd.
Without Brunson, the Knicks’ leader, McBride has been handed a lot of responsibility, which he said he failed to handle in the final minutes Monday as the Knicks went cold.
“I’d say it’s my fault as a point guard. I needed to get everybody where they needed to be and manage the game a little bit better at the end,” he said. “They went on a few runs where they had a couple of tough buckets. Had some rebounds we should have gotten but I think that’s on me. I gotta make sure I get everybody where they need to be and take control.”
Teammates and head coach Tom Thibodeau spoke highly of McBride’s efforts — efforts that were expected when given this opportunity.
“I was very pleased with Deuce, he gave us really good minutes. He’s doing terrific,” Thibodeau said.
“I knew he was a talented player,” OG Anunoby said when asked if he knew of McBride’s skills before joining the Knicks. “I remember him in college as well. So, I always knew he had the talent.”
McBride shot 8-for-17 from the field and 4-for-10 from deep while adding two rebounds, two steals, one assist and a block.
