Miles McBride can light it up from beyond the arc, but his vision and decision-making remain underrated. McBride has played most of his minutes swapped with Josh Hart or OG Anunoby. The other third of his minutes are spent filling in for Jalen Brunson, but it matters who McBride is paired with. Signs point to him benefiting more often from Tyler Kolek‘s presence. Still, Deuce is more than just a perimeter sniper. He’s proven that he can run the offense patiently and let the game come to him.
Miles McBride Showcasing Underrated Aspect of His Game
Deuce’s Lineup Synergy
The four Knicks lineups with the highest point differentials this season have one thing in common: Brunson and McBride. When on the court together, they match up with any other guard tandem offensively, but other teams may have stronger defenders.
If Brunson is on the bench, Deuce is best paired with Kolek to split ball-handling duties. Mike Brown currently leans toward Jordan Clarkson first, who can be explosive from distance but has shot better in previous months.
- McBride and Clarkson in the back court: 31 minutes, -19.3 point differential
- McBride and Kolek in the back court: 30 minutes, +7.7 point differential
On the other hand, Landry Shamet is a spark plug when available. The top point differential from a lineup is +54.7, from Shamet, Mitch Robinson, OG Anunoby, Brunson, and McBride. It’s no surprise when you consider Robinson’s league-leading offensive rebounding, paired with the team’s volume perimeter shooting.
McBride is also in the top four Knicks lineups in assists per game, including the top two without Brunson.
Consistent Decision Making and Shooting
In the middle of the third quarter, against the Suns on January 17th, McBride showcased his ability to run the offense. His teammates Karl-Anthony Towns, Shamet, and Anunoby were running motion, but they weren’t generating an open look. McBride slipped into an easy dribble-hand-off with Guerschon Yabusele to create a mildly contested three.
Deuce lets the game come to him, and he’s more pass-first than his stats would indicate. The context of his assists matters more than the quantity, and he frankly doesn’t touch the ball enough to allow for more passing. If given another seven minutes per game, McBride (28 mpg) would see a huge uptick in assists, but the Knicks have more than enough scorers commanding those minutes off the bench.
Still, McBride is usually hitting his shot, and he has more games with at least five threes than he does none. His shot mechanics are consistent and pure, and his high-arcing release is difficult to contest. In transition, Deuce seamlessly fills in the open perimeter and can catch-and-shoot with ease. He capitalizes on it by having 83% of his threes from assists. He can create on his own as well; he’ll often take advantage of mismatches to find a mid-range shot or easy layup.
McBride also takes care of the ball and has the second-lowest turnovers per 100 possessions (1.4) on the team. Strong ball security is an easy way to increase your minutes, and it’s something his teammate Kolek will need to keep in check. Per 100 possessions, Kolek is fourth-highest on the team with 3.8 turnovers.
© Bill Streicher-Imagn Images