Miles McBride

Knicks Notes: Hart, Tucker, Towns, Bridges, Thibodeau

The Knicks just completed their most successful season in over two decades, but that doesn’t guarantee the core of the team will stay together, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. After winning 51 games and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, the season ended in disappointment Saturday night with a 17-point loss at Indiana in Game 6.

New York was favored heading into the series and appeared to be good position to reach its first NBA Finals since 1999 after dispatching the Celtics in the second round and seeing the top-seeded Cavaliers lose to Indiana. However, the Knicks let a big lead slip away in the opener against the Pacers and weren’t able to recover from a 2-0 series deficit.

Reflecting on the season, Josh Hart told reporters that changes often follow when teams fall short of their goals.

“You’re always going to hear me say, ‘Run it back,’” Hart said. “I think you heard me say the same thing last year with the guys we had. I’d like to do it. I feel like this team is good enough to make the next step. But it’s a business. And when you don’t get to where you feel like you could’ve or should’ve, changes are made.”

With Hart, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride all under contract for next season, the Knicks have the option to attempt another run at the Finals with the same group intact. But they were in a similar position a year ago and opted for two major offseason trades that brought in Bridges and Towns.

“This is my eighth year. This is my fourth organization. I’ve had six or seven coaches,” Hart said. “It’s tough, we’re going to have to see. Don’t think you can ever be too comfortable. I’ll open [the X app] one day and I’m somewhere else. That’s what’s disappointing the most, knowing there’s a good chance this team might not be back in totality.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

  • The path to the conference finals wasn’t smooth, as players held several team meetings to help them refocus after losses, league sources tell James L. Edwards and Fred Katz of The Athletic. They note that the team had to deal with disputes on the bench, criticism that coach Tom Thibodeau was leaning too heavily on his starters, and player comments regarding “sacrifice,” “egos” and “agendas.” A players-only meeting following the Game 5 loss at Boston was called by P.J. Tucker, whom the authors say was signed as a free agent to help bring order to the team. The front office believed there was a need for better locker room leadership, so the 40-year-old Tucker, who only appeared in three regular season games, was added in April instead of someone who could provide more help on the court.
  • Teammates and coaches were frustrated throughout the season by Towns’ poor defensive habits, Edwards and Katz add. Sources tell them that Towns would often fail to execute the correct coverage without explaining why, leading some players to believe he “didn’t grasp the importance of the matter.”
  • Bridges will become eligible for a four-year, $156MM extension this summer, which will be the next step in seeing if management plans a long-term commitment to the current roster. Edwards and Katz report that Bridges’ fit wasn’t as smooth as expected, as he “shied away from physicality,” missed too many jump shots and didn’t provide the consistent defensive presence that he displayed earlier in his career. He also talked to the press in March about the starters playing too many minutes, which the authors state is a taboo subject to discuss publicly on Thibodeau teams.
  • Thibodeau’s job appears to be safe, as he has strong support from team president Leon Rose and Brunson, according to Edwards and Katz, although they point out that owner James Dolan has the final decision. Brunson bristled at speculation about his coach’s future after Saturday’s game, relays Jared Schwartz of The New York Post, responding, “Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe he’s the right guy. Yes. Come on.”

Knicks Notes: Towns, Brunson, Wright, Shamet, McBride

Karl-Anthony Towns‘ best playoff performance since joining the Knicks came when his team needed it the most, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required). New York was trailing by 10 points entering the fourth quarter on Sunday and staring at a potential 3-0 series deficit. With Jalen Brunson having an off night and being kept on the bench due to foul trouble, the Knicks needed Towns to take over the offense.

He delivered in a huge way, scoring 20 of his 24 points during the first eight minutes of the quarter. He was 6-of-9 from the field during that stretch and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. He also collected eight rebounds as New York gradually overtook Indiana to claim a 106-100 victory.

“Just teammates put me in great spots to succeed and I wanted to just capitalize on the opportunity,” Towns said. “And just all of us we were just doing what it takes to win and putting ourselves in position to get back in the game and put ourselves in position at the end of the game where we could find ourselves with a chance to win. Finding a way.”

It was an encouraging response after Towns was limited to 28 minutes in Game 2 while being kept on the sidelines for most of crunch time. The Pacers have been targeting him on defense throughout the series, but on Sunday Towns found a way to fight back.

“He can score on all three different levels,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s comfortable at the three-point line. He’s comfortable putting it on the floor. He’s comfortable playing back to the basket. So, as long as he stays aggressive, it’s a huge plus for us. And then the double-team comes and then he can playmake off that.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

  • Brunson came out of the game after picking up his fifth foul with 7:03 remaining because Thibodeau wanted to make sure he was available to close out the victory, per Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. After sitting for more than five and a half minutes, Brunson returned to hit a floater in the lane with 1:17 left that gave the Knicks the lead for good. “Did you expect anything less from JB? He got that (Clutch Player of the Year) award for a reason,” Towns said. “We knew when we got in that fourth quarter, we gotta get back in the game and we felt very confident.”
  • Thibodeau normally sticks with set rotations, especially in the playoffs, but he made a couple out-of-character moves that sparked the Knicks’ victory, Schwartz observes in a separate story. Thibodeau changed his starting lineup, replacing Josh Hart with Mitchell Robinson, then gave early minutes to Delon Wright and Landry Shamet, who both saw their first significant action of the postseason. “High-character guys,” Thibodeau said. “Both guys have done a good job. We picked up Delon late. Landry’s been terrific all year. … He’s played really well, he’s great for the team, he’s always ready. The same can be said for Delon. They’re really, really good pros. When I say that, I mean they do the right thing every day. That goes a long way. It’s not just lip service, it’s doing the actual work, which I think is important.”
  • Miles McBride barely played in the first half after picking up three quick fouls, but he made an impact when he returned in the third quarter, notes Peter Botte of The New York Post. McBride scored seven straight points late in the quarter to reduce the Pacers’ lead to nine. “It’s not easy to do, particularly when you go to the bench after a minute and then you’ve gotta still stay in the game mentally,” Thibodeau said. “I thought his intensity was huge for us. He’s a catalyst, his defense, his hustle, and I think it gives people energy when you see him flying around like that.”

Knicks Notes: Potential Lineup Change, Robinson, McBride, Road Record, Bridges

Facing a desperate situation after losing the first two games at home, the Knicks may consider lineup changes when the Eastern Conference Finals resume Sunday night, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required). Karl-Anthony Towns played just 28 minutes in Game 2 as the Pacers exposed his defensive deficiencies and backup center Mitchell Robinson delivered a strong performance. Bondy notes that Towns is too valuable to stay on the bench, so coach Tom Thibodeau will have to find a better option.

Bondy proposes two potential alterations to the starting lineup, one of which would replace Josh Hart with Robinson. That provides a twin towers approach just like Minnesota used when it made the conference finals last season with Towns alongside Rudy Gobert. New York would have its best rim protector and pick-and-roll defender on the court at the start of the game, and it provides a better opportunity to take Robinson out late in quarters before Indiana can start fouling him on purpose.

Bondy’s other suggestion is to replace Hart with Miles McBride, who has the team’s best net rating in the series at plus-20.6. Although it would create a small backcourt, McBride is an accomplished defender who can provide help when the Pacers attack Jalen Brunson.

There’s more on the Knicks:

  • The team is taking solace in its strong road record as the series shifts to Indiana, according to Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. New York is 5-1 on the road in the playoffs, with three wins at Detroit and two at Boston, and was 24-17 during the regular season away from Madison Square Garden. “The whole year we played well on the road,” Hart said after Game 2. “We’ve played well on the road in the playoffs. That’s a tough place to play. Their crowd comes and shows love and support. But we’re a good road team. That always gives us confidence.” 
  • Knicks players understand that the 0-2 deficit gives them a chance to do something historic, adds Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Only five NBA teams have ever advanced after losing the first two games of a series at home, and no one has done it in the conference finals.
  • Mikal Bridges believes better communication might solve the problems the starting five has been experiencing, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “I think we just have to talk to each other off the jump,” he said. “I think maybe we just play a little too soft in the beginning.”

Knicks Notes: Starters, Towns, Robinson, Hart

The Knicks fell into an 0-2 deficit at home against the Pacers and now face an uphill battle to make the NBA Finals. In the view of James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, the main reason for New York’s struggles is the fact the starting lineup is a minus-29 through two games and isn’t meshing well overall.

This isn’t a new issue, as the starters were outscored by 21 points in their first two playoff series combined and were a net negative between Jan. 1 and the end of the regular season. The individual talent level of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns is significant, but it isn’t working on the court, Edwards writes.

Obviously, we can finger-point and say this is wrong, that’s wrong,” Brunson said. “It’s this person’s fault, that person’s fault. But collectively, we have to get it together. That’s really it.

Given the time crunch the Knicks are facing, making a starting lineup change sooner rather than later could be in the club’s best interest. New York has played its best when three or four starters are playing alongside one or both of Miles McBride or Mitchell Robinson.

We have more from the Knicks:

  • The Knicks ended up sitting Towns for a near-seven-minute stretch in the fourth quarter, with Robinson taking his place during that time. Robinson finished the game as a +6 in 29 minutes while Towns was a -20 in 28 minutes. “Just, we got in a hole, and then the group that was in there gave us a chance,” coach Tom Thibodeau said about the decision to sit Towns for that stretch, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “So we were just riding [that lineup]. We’re searching for a win.
  • Hart lobbied for Robinson to play more in Game 3 and beyond, per the New York Post’s Zach Braziller. “We have to figure out ways — I think he played [29] minutes — figure out ways if he can play more,” Hart said. “We’re great with him on [the floor]. We all got to be willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team.” Robinson has totaled 17 rebounds and four blocks in the first two games of the series.
  • Hart and Anunoby were among the Knicks’ worst performers in Game 2, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post opines in a subscriber-only story. Bondy said neither player had a particularly strong impact offensively or defensively, outside of a couple three-pointers from Anunoby. Hart spoke about his outing after the game. “Yeah, it was tough to find ways to [be me], ways to help the team,” he said, per the New York Post’s Peter Botte. “Obviously, that quick foul trouble kind of puts you in a position to not being as aggressive. So that was a tough one. Just one of those games. Shots will be there some games, some they won’t.

Knicks Notes: Bridges, Anunoby, Hart, McBride, Robinson

The Knicks raised eyebrows last offseason when they surrendered five first-round picks in a trade for Mikal Bridges, then committed over $212MM in guaranteed money to OG Anunoby. Neither player was expected to be a top-two offensive option for New York in 2024/25, but the team recognized the value of having two of the NBA’s best two-way wings.

Monday’s win over Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals showed exactly why the Knicks were willing to give up such a significant trade package for Bridges, per Adam Zagoria of NJ.com, and why they were comfortable investing so heavily in Anunoby, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post writes.

Bridges scored only eight points on 3-of-13 shooting, but made several crucial defensive plays in his 51 minutes of action, including a late-game steal that prevented Jaylen Brown from attempting a game-tying three-pointer and secured the victory for the Knicks.

“That’s who Mikal is. He’s (gotten) a lot of criticism and he never lets that affect him,” teammate Josh Hart said after the win, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “I don’t know how many games down the stretch that he’s won for us on the defensive side alone — the Brooklyn game, the block, the Chicago game he got a block at the end. A couple in the Detroit series. He’s been a huge part for this team. Sometimes those things get overlooked and people just look at stats and they lose sight of how valuable a player that he is.”

Anunoby, who served as the primary defender on Jayson Tatum, helped limit the Celtics star to a 7-of-23 shooting night while also matching Jalen Brunson‘s team-high 29 points.

“Definitely sparked us,” Brunson said of Anunoby. “And the way he’s been playing all season, I have the utmost confidence in him every time he steps on the floor, on both sides of the ball. So it’s what we expect.”

We have more on the Knicks:

  • New York loaded up on wings – adding Bridges to complement Anunoby and Hart – in large part to combat Eastern Conference stars like Tatum and Brown. While that vision was questioned during the regular season as the Knicks lost all four of their matchups with the Celtics, the blueprint is as clear as it’s been all year following Monday’s Game 1 upset, says Fred Katz of The Athletic.
  • Reserve guard Miles McBride struggled during the first round of the playoffs vs. Detroit, averaging 3.8 points per game on 26.7% shooting. In Game 1 vs. Boston, he had 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting, finally giving the Knicks the kind of boost they’d been hoping for off the bench, writes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post.
  • Knicks center Mitchell Robinson made just 3-of-10 free throws on Monday and is now 7-of-25 (28.0%) in the playoffs. Although the Celtics effectively employed a hack-a-Robinson strategy for a little while in Game 1, the big man downplayed his struggles from the foul line, as Schwartz relays for The Post. “Basketball is not just about free throws,” Robinson said. “You got defense, you got rebounds, offensive rebounds — there’s more to it than just free throws. That’s like the only part I need to work on, my free throws. Everything else, I’m straight.” To Robinson’s point, New York outscored Boston by 13 points during his 21 minutes on the court.

Atlantic Notes: Hart, Knicks, Robinson, Kornet, Nets

Josh Hart‘s contributions will be even more invaluable to the Knicks in their second-round series, which began tonight, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes.

While the Knicks were able to answer runs against the inexperienced Pistons in their first-round series, the defending champion Celtics possess a killer instinct to bury teams once momentum shifts their way. Hart can guide his teammates through those storms.

“For me, I’ve said it all year, it’s how can I get my guys going? How can I help them get an easy shot or an open look or get their energy into the game? A lot of that I do by example,” Hart said. “I’ll talk to guys obviously, but it’s making a big play here or there, a hustle play that will get one of those guys an open shot that they knock down, now they’re feeling good, the energy is up. That’s something I always try to do, that I hang my hat on.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • A big concern for the Knicks is matching up against the Celtics‘ bench, Schwartz notes. Boston has the Sixth Man of the Year, Payton Pritchard, and several other contributors in reserve, while Miles McBride struggled during New York’s first-round series. Mitchell Robinson was the only second-unit player who provided consistent production against Detroit and they’ll need that again from him in this series.
  • Speaking of Celtics reserves, Luke Kornet had to make a major career adjustment with the team. They asked him to be more of an interior presence, rather than joining the long list of big men tasked with stretching the floor. “It was actually really hard,” Kornet told Brian Robb of Masslive.com. “All of a sudden, the thing that I was most proud of and felt was my identity, and the reason I was in the NBA was kind of gone.”
  • The Nets‘ stockpile of draft picks is more valuable than ever, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. They have multiple picks in this year’s loaded draft, plenty of extra picks and picks swap in future seasons. Cheap rookie contracts are more important now because of the restrictions in the current CBA.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, McBride, Robinson, Hart

The condition of Jalen Brunson‘s right ankle is becoming an increasing concern for the Knicks as their first-round series wears on, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Bondy notes that Brunson has gone to the locker room to get his ankle worked on in each of the first five games. Brunson’s absence in the fourth quarter on Tuesday caused New York’s offense to bog down and opened the door for Detroit to grab a series-saving victory.

“It’s different (without Brunson),” Mikal Bridges said. “You know he’s going to have that ball. It doesn’t mean we can’t step up. I should’ve made shots and held it down for him as much as he holds it down for us. We just got to be better.” 

Bondy points out that Bridges missed two shots during Brunson’s two-and-a-half-minute absence late in Game 5. Also during that sequence, Karl-Anthony Towns had an attempt blocked and Cameron Payne couldn’t connect on an open floater.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau believes his team’s late-game execution needs to improve no matter’s who’s on the court.

“You have to be at your best in the fourth quarter,” Thibodeau said. “You have to understand that the intensity of the fourth quarter is different. The first three quarters are going to be played with a certain intensity level and the fourth quarter is going to be different. So you have to make your decisions quicker, you have to get to your spots quicker and you have to execute.” 

There’s more from New York:

  • The Knicks’ depth problems have worsened because of subpar performances from Miles McBride, who was the team’s most dependable reserve throughout the season, says Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. McBride went 2-of-7 from the field and missed all three of his three-point shots while scoring four points in 22 minutes on Tuesday. “Just gotta keep playing,” Thibodeau responded when asked about McBride. “Next play, just keep getting ready, each game is different. How you reset is important. One game really has nothing to do with the next so just put the proper amount of time into preparation to get yourselves ready to play.”
  • Mitchell Robinson was dominant during his 22 minutes in Game 5, observes Peter Botte of The New York Post. He finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass. “I thought Mitch gave us a good lift, good energy,” Thibodeau said. “The rebounding was good enough. Defense was good enough. Our turnovers hurt us, so we gotta clean that up.” 
  • Injuries are becoming a problem for the Knicks, offering a reminder of how the team disintegrated in last year’s playoffs, Botte adds in a separate story. In addition to Brunson’s ankle issues, Josh Hart had to leave Tuesday’s game with a sore wrist after a hard fall late in the fourth quarter. OG Anunoby also checked out for a while with an undisclosed ailment. When asked which wrist was hurting, Hart said, “My whole body is bothering me. Wrist, back, butt. A little bit of everything.”

Knicks Notes: Towns, McBride, Anunoby, Brunson, Robinson

The Knicks came away with a close win in Game 3 against the Pistons facing a loud Detroit crowd. It’s no coincidence that as the Knicks played faster, Karl-Anthony Towns had his best offensive game of the series, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes.

Towns scored 31 points on 10 made field goals, including a handful that came with over 14 seconds still left on the shot clock, according to Edwards, who says Towns was purposeful and imposed his will.

In transition, KAT is someone I’m definitely trying to look for and find while he’s flowing into the half court, where he can knock down shots trailing or able to attack,” teammate Josh Hart said.

In a separate story, Fred Katz of The Athletic notes that Jalen Brunson and Towns ran 17 pick-and-rolls in Game 3, their second-highest single-game total since January. New York was able to take advantage of Jalen Duren guarding Towns as opposed to a wing.

We have more on the Knicks:

  • In the same story for The Athletic, Katz analyzes the play of both Miles McBride and OG Anunoby, opining that New York needs more from McBride in order to help secure a series win over the Pistons. McBride isn’t playing much, but New York’s reserves have only scored 39 points in the series, and that will likely need to change to keep the starters fresh. As for Anunoby, Katz explains why he’s prone to defensive ‘heat checks’ and why his attention to detail is standing out. Jared Schwartz of the New York Post observes that Anunoby helped hold Cade Cunningham to 10-of-25 shooting from the field in Game 3.
  • The Knicks were able to rely on their reserves in a come-from-behind Game 1 win, with Cameron Payne in particular standing out. Like Katz,  Zach Braziller of the New York Post observes that New York’s depth has been outshone in the two games since then. With the Pistons getting massive contributions from reserves like Dennis Schröder and Malik Beasley, the Knicks’ lack of depth could become an issue, Braziller suggests.
  • Brunson reacted well to Detroit crowd berating him with derisive chants and responded with an impressive 30-point game to go along with nine assists and seven rebounds, Ian Begley of SNY writes. “I don’t think crowds understand, especially with pros and guys that are really good, they’re probably going to be really good when you’re chanting they’re name,” teammate P.J. Tucker said. “When you’re saying what they said, it probably gives them a little incentive to play a little better, play a little harder.”
  • Knicks center Mitchell Robinson missed Saturday’s practice due to an illness, but Thibodeau believe the big man “should be fine” for Game 4 on Sunday, according to Begley (Twitter links). Thibodeau added that Robinson is no longer on a minutes restriction.

Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Brunson, Hukporti, Rotation

Asked ahead of the Knicks‘ first-round series about speculation that head coach Tom Thibodeau will be on the hot seat if New York doesn’t make a deep playoff run, star point guard Jalen Brunson referred to himself as a “big Thibs supporter” and strongly backed his coach, as Jared Schwartz of The New York Post writes.

“He means a lot,” Brunson said on Friday (Twitter video link). “Individually, he’s meant a lot to my career. I’d say he’s meant a decent amount to (Karl-Anthony Towns), coaching KAT in Minnesota and here. There’s a lot of players who can say they’ve definitely benefited from Tom Thibodeau in his career.

“But I think as a team, we’re always in a position where we can compete in the postseason since I’ve been here. He’s very prepared. He’s a very prepared individual. He’s done a lot for my career, so I’m always going to be a supporter. Always. Even when he annoys me. Always.”

Thibodeau has faced criticism over the years due a perception that he overworks his top players, and three Knicks ranked among the top six players in the NBA in minutes per game this season. But New York will enter the 2025 postseason with nearly all of its players – including everyone who’s part of the rotation – fully healthy, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post notes.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • Rookie center Ariel Hukporti, who has been out since February 26 while recovering from surgery on his left meniscus, was upgraded to questionable for Game 1 of the Knicks’ first-round series vs. Detroit and practiced on Friday, tweets Bondy. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), Thibodeau referred to Hukporti as a game-time decision, though it seems unlikely that he’d be part of the team’s rotation even if he’s healthy enough to play.
  • In a separate story for The New York Post, Bondy weighs the case for and against expanding the Knicks’ playoff rotation beyond seven players. As Bondy outlines, Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson are locks to see regular minutes off the bench, but it’s unclear whether Landry Shamet, Precious Achiuwa, or Cameron Payne will get off the bench. If Thibodeau does use an eighth man, Bondy believes Shamet is the best bet for that role.
  • Even after the Knicks added Towns and Mikal Bridges as offensive weapons last offseason, Brunson still led the team and ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference with 26.0 points per game. The Knicks will need him more than ever in order to make a playoff run this spring, says James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Knicks Notes: Rotation, McBride, Robinson, Towns, Bridges, Brunson, Toughness

How low will coach Tom Thibodeau go? In this instance, we’re talking about his rotation.

Thibodeau sliced his rotation to eight players in last year’s playoffs, then cut it to seven when injuries struck. The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy anticipates that Thibodeau will rely heavily on his starting unit once again in the opening-round series against Detroit.

Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson appear to be the only locks to get steady playing time off the bench. Landry Shamet, Cameron Payne and Precious Achiuwa are the other reserves who could be called upon but it’s likely only one will get rotation minutes, according to Bondy, who recommends that the hot-shooting Shamet should be the choice.

Here’s more Knicks news:

  • It’ll be the first postseason with the Knicks for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, the front office’s two major acquisitions to become a championship-level team. The pressure will be on that duo to produce, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines. “I think for me and Mikal, we just wanted to show our value to the team,” Towns said. “And I think that throughout the year, we’ve had the opportunity to do that, to our fans and our teammates and our coaching staff.”
  • Jalen Brunson, who returned from an ankle injury this month to play four games, says that past playoff experiences will help the club navigate this postseason, Peter Botte of the New York Post writes. “I think for us, it’s, like any other season, it’s a roller coaster every year, there’s gonna be ups and downs, and it’s all about how you manage it,” Brunson said. “But now that the regular season’s over, it’s all about how we can move on and be better the next day. I know it’s a term that people don’t like to hear, but we learn from what we did in the past, good and bad, and move on and get better. That’s the name of the game at this stage of the season. … So we’re just focused. We still got a long way to go with preparation, still got a long way to go making sure we’re ready to go for Saturday. We’ll be ready.”
  • The talent is there but are the Knicks tough enough to make it past the physical Pistons and other potential opponents? Newsday’s Steve Popper explores that topic in a subscriber-only story.