Miles McBride is on the injury report again, but for a different ailment.
The guard, who is the sixth man and the only reserve coach Tom Thibodeau has trusted, is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Sixers because of left knee inflammation.
It’s the same knee McBride hyperextended during an October win over the Pacers. He’s been wearing black tape around it ever since.
McBride was also questionable for Sunday’s game in Indiana with an illness but played 29 minutes and finished with seven points and two steals.
After beginning the season on fire with his shot, McBride cooled in five November games, shooting just 34 percent overall and 30 percent from beyond the arc.
If McBride is out, an already thin bench would be decimated. It would place more significance on the availability of Cam Payne, who has missed four straight games with a strained hamstring.
Payne is also listed as questionable for Tuesday.
Precious Achiuwa is out again because of a strained hamstring he suffered in the preseason finale more than three weeks ago. He has yet to play this season.
“Cam’s further along because he’s obviously doing a lot more on the court,” Thibodeau said. “Precious still hasn’t been cleared for practice. He’s doing a lot on the court, but he hasn’t been cleared for practice. So there’s another step before we can say he’s getting close.”
Tyler Kolek and Jericho Sims have been part of the rotation, given the injuries, but combined for just three second-half minutes in Sunday’s loss as Thibodeau mostly stuck with six players.
The Knicks go straight from the site of playoff failure to playoff triumph.
After falling to the Pacers in Indy on Sunday, Thibodeau’s squad opens its NBA Cup schedule against the Sixers for Joel Embiid’s expected season debut.
It’ll be the Knicks’ first time in Philly since they eliminated the Sixers in Game 6 of the opening round this past May. And while there are no playoff stakes, the matchup has taken on more significance with both franchises struggling out of the gate.
“It’s extremely important,” said Josh Hart, who buried the Game 6 dagger 3-pointer at Wells Fargo Arena. “For us, new team, we’re trying to find a rhythm, more so defensively. So we’ve got to keep working, keep building, especially against a team like that. Joel’s coming back, so it’s going to be a good test, obviously a tough environment. So it’s going to be a good test for us. I think that’s the biggest thing, just with their talent.”
Karl-Anthony Towns is a newcomer but brings a history with Embiid to this rivalry.
At a time both were represented by Leon Rose in 2019, they were involved in a fight on the court and ejected. Embiid then took to social media with profanities, calling Towns a “b**ch” and a “p**sy.”
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“Been kicking your ass and pretty please make the playoffs before you talk,” Embiid posted at the time. “It’s a known thing that I OWN you.”
That was also five years ago, and Towns said he isn’t concerned with Embiid.
“I’m just worried about us trying to get a win,” the Knicks center said. “All that stuff, it doesn’t mean anything. What means something to me is getting those ones in the left column. It’s all that should be mattering to all of us. Finding ways to win, putting ourselves in good position to win every single night, take these learning experiences and make us a better team.”
Embiid hasn’t played yet this season because of load management and a three-game suspension for shoving a reporter.
