Knicks Guard to Undergo Surgery With Alarming Timeline

Adding to the frustration is the fact that the Knicks were saying that McBride's absence was due to "left ankle injury management" during the last five games, thus hiding the real seriousness of the issue.

The Hidden Injury That Derailed McBride's Breakout

McBride​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ went down with the first injury on December 7 at a game against the Magic. He sustained a high ankle sprain and was put in a walking boot. After that, he didn't play for eight games consecutively.

McBride came back only in the last days of December, but he was definitely not the same explosive defender and shot-maker that the fans had seen and known through the first part of the season.

Before the injury and the sudden halt to his career, McBride was having a stellar season, posting 12.9 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game while he was also shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc.

Apart from the outstanding defense on the opposing guards, McBride's talent for making the most of the perimeter shots had turned him into one of the most essential pieces of Mike Brown's game plan, whether as a starter or a high-impact reserve.

Alvarado Trade Makes Sudden Sense

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Knicks' acquisition of Jose Alvarado from New Orleans via trade deadline now appears to be a well-thought-out insurance plan rather than just a move to add more players to the roster.

New York traded Dalen Terry, two second-round picks, and cash to the Pelicans in exchange for Alvarado. Alvarado brings similar on-ball defensive pressure and energy that McBride provided, giving Brown another backcourt pest who can change the tone of games with his relentless style. Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson are also expected to see expanded opportunities while McBride recovers.

What This Means for New York's Title Hopes

McBride​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ walking out for what may be two months is a loss of one of the most reliable two-way contributors at the Knicks during a very critical playoff positioning race.

The hustle defense of his perimeter and spot-up shooting had become the cornerstone of the way this team runs, especially in crunch time ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌scenarios.

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Knicks will be relying on Alvarado to take over those minutes and deliver the same kind of production but, naturally, there's no certainty that a player coming in can recreate what McBride gave to the Garden on a nightly ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌basis.