What’s happened to Knicks’ Miles McBride?

This time last year, McBride looked like a budding star. He averaged 11 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists  through 13 playoff games in 2024. He made some very big shots and had a tremendous impact on the Knicks’ success.

Those big-time performances bled into this season, too. McBride averaged 12.2 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game when he playing between 30 and 39 minutes per game in 2024-25.

And he averaged 23 points, six rebounds, and three assists per game when playing 40 or more minutes per game. What’s more, McBride scored in double figures on 27 occasions, despite playing in only 64 games.

But McBride suffered a groin injury late in the season that cost him eight games. He returned from injury on April 5 and played in the team’s final five games. He even logged 39 minutes in a loss against Detroit after his return. But he’s struggled since the playoffs began.

Why Miles McBride can’t recapture strong play 

Regardless why he’s struggling, the fact of that matter is that McBride is experiencing some very real growing plays in the 2025 playoffs. He is averaging only 4.0 points in 15.6 minutes per game—a significant decline from his production last postseason.

It’s not abundantly clear if McBride is still ailing from the groin injury or if coach Tom Thibodeau has lost faith in his backup guard. But either way, he’s getting fewer minutes and scoring fewer points.

As McBride goes, so goes the Knicks’ bench. New York has received only 12.6 points per game from its reserves in total this postseason, which is last among all teams in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Los Angeles Lakers were a close second, averaging 12.75 bench points per game.

As the team’s primary scoring reserve, much of the responsibility to propel the team’s bench offensively falls on McBride’s shoulders.

Granted, reserve scoring is about more than one player, especially for playoff teams with higher scoring benches. Furthermore, it is coach Thibodeau’s responsibility to put McBride in situations to succeed—and to give him sufficient playing time.

Sure, other reserves like Mitchell Robinson and Cam Payne have a responsibility to score as well. But if the Knicks’ bench fails to provide enough offense, McBride will probably shoulder the blame, rightfully or not.

The Knicks need a big game from McBride tonight as New York enters a hostile environment in Detroit for Game 6. McBride does not necessarily need to score 20 or more points. But his presence on the floor presents another scoring threat.

McBride needs to log more than the 15.6 minutes per game he’s played so far this series, as his presence on the floor allows the team’s starters to get a longer break before crunch time. Here’s to hoping Thibodeau lets his reserve guard loose and that McBride is ready for the moment.