Getty Miles McBride of the New York Knicks dribbles during the second half against the Detroit Pistons.
The New York Knicks took to the hardwood for the first time in about six months on October 4, playing the first of four preseason games and coming away with a commanding 117-96 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Franchise centerpiece RJ Barrett led the charge for the Knicks, but after the game he credited second-year point guard Miles McBride for his play and effort.
“He’s a pest. You saw it out there today,” Barrett told reporters. “I don’t know how many steals he had today. Six? That’s what he does, man.”
RJ Barrett on Miles McBride: “He’s a pest. You saw it out there today. I don’t know how many steals he had today. Six? That’s what he does ,man.”
McBride checked in early into the second quarter and almost immediately made his presence felt.
Knicks Guard Made His Presence Felt
At the 9:27 mark in the second period, McBride was subbed in for Derrick Rose. Within just seconds, he snatched the first of what would wind up being a half-dozen steals on the night.
From there, he would display a wide range of defensive versatility, showing off his quick hands and impressive timing, and he even blocked a shot by Detroit’s 6-foot-10 center, Jalen Duren.
McBride ended the preseason opener logging 22:32 minutes and stuffing the stat sheet with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 steals and a block.
While his 42.9% shooting clip and 0-for-3 finish from deep were not all that impressive, his efforts on the less glamorous side of the ball were certainly captivating enough to catch the eye of RJ Barrett.
In 23 minutes of action, Barrett dropped a game-high 21 points to go along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block on 57.1% shooting from the floor and 60% shooting from deep.
Knicks Guard Has Goal for 2022-23
Heading into game one of the preseason, third-year combo guard Immanuel Quickley discuss some of his goals for the season, and the New York Post’s Zach Braziller reported in an October 3 article that the 23-year-old’s main individual objective in 2022-23 is to shoot above 40% from the floor.
Quickley said he worked on his mid-range shot this past offseason with the hopes that it will help his shooting efficiency overall.
“I think it will help my field-goal percentage a lot,” he said, via the Post. “Just being able to do everything when I’m on the floor is a versatility thing I like for myself.”
He displayed a steady shooting stroke, particularly in the mid-range, finishing the game with 13 points on 45.5% shooting from the floor.
Though his 3-point shot was a bit off on the night, finishing with just a 25% conversion rate from this area of the floor, considering his career 36.5% shooting clip from distance, this should not be any cause for concern.
Everyone in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s expected starting lineup — Barrett, Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, Evan Fournier and Julius Randle — logged at least 18 minutes.
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RJ Barrett Sounds Off on Knicks Guard After Preseason Opener