Deuce McBride returns to give Knicks' rotation — and chemistry— a boost
The Knicks' Deuce McBride looks to pass during the first half of an NBA preseason game against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 13 at Madison Square Garden. Credit: AP/Frank Franklin II
CHICAGO — The Knicks practiced behind closed doors Thursday at DePaul University’s Sullivan Athletic Center, but there was no mystery that they were working in full for the first time in weeks.
Deuce McBride was back from a death in the family that had him back home in Ohio for the last two games. Mitchell Robinson, sidelined for nearly a month, practiced in full. Even Guerschon Yabusele, who had sat out the last game in Milwaukee with a sprained left knee, was practicing.
After two straight losses and some consternation about roles and fits, getting back all of the pieces might be the first task. Robinson remains a game-time decision, but the return of McBride is a step in the right direction.
“He does a lot of things on both ends of the floor,” coach Mike Brown said. “His energy is contagious. He’s a two-way player. He can play on the ball, he can play off the ball defensively. He can play on the ball or off the ball offensively.
“Even though he’s a small guard, his athleticism and power make him a good offensive rebounder. He can defensive rebound, too. So there’s a lot he can bring to the table besides scoring that you miss when he’s not around. But when he is around, too, you have the added punch of a guy who can go get it.”
McBride started the second game of the season, but in his absence, the Knicks dropped games in Miami and Milwaukee, piecing together rotations minus his contributions — whether off the bench or in the starting lineup.
“It means more than people realize,” Jalen Brunson said. “The chemistry we have, the camaraderie, how he is as a teammate means a lot more than what he’s able to do on the court, and he does a lot on the court. We really appreciate the person he is and obviously the player, but the person means the most.
“You never know what the situation is gonna be. Guys are gonna be in and out of the rotation, and having that next-man-up mentality is something we have to live by regardless of the situation. But we may have guys back and we’re starting to get guys back in game shape and in rhythm. It’s great to have everyone back because being at full strength, we can see where we are, but there’s no excuse of who’s not here. It’s either we’re good enough or not.”
For McBride, getting back on the court provides a huge piece for the Knicks, but the bigger priority was to be with his family.
“Yeah, I love those guys, but I had to be with family,” he said. “Honestly, just tough on the fam, but that’s part of life.”
McBride was one of the important pieces in Brown’s new plans for the team this season — a player who can defend the length of the floor and provide shooting and playmaking on offense.
“Just my intensity, I feel like I can always bring that,” he said. “I feel like we were just flat a little bit at times, and a lot of times that starts on the defensive end, and I feel like I can bring that.”
The Knicks will have that, and maybe they’ll have Robinson, too. When they face the unbeaten Bulls on Friday night in their first NBA Cup game, they can use all the help they can get.
“Mitch brings a lot to the table,” Brown said. “Obviously, he hasn’t played in a while, too. So he’s not going to be Mitch Robinson in the next five games, probably, no matter when he plays or how much he plays.
“But his length, his versatility, in terms of being able to guard 1 through 5, his ability to offensive rebound, defensive rebound, he just brings a lot to both ends of the floor. You get a vertical threat offensively and an anchor defensively that’s hard to replace because he’s a special player at that position.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
