HOUSTON — Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said this COVID-19 outbreak the Knicks are experiencing will tell a lot about their young players.
On Sunday, rookie Quentin Grimes stood out with a 27-point outing.
Thursday in Houston, with the infections worsening among the traveling party and Derrick Rose going down with a sprained ankle, it was rookie point guard Miles McBride’s time to sparkle, quarterback the team and ignite the defense.
While McBride, known as “Deuce,” looked decent Tuesday in the Golden State loss in his first real look, the former West Virginia guard was a blazing force against the Rockets and played the entire second half.
McBride, a second-round pick who has done most of his previous damage in the G-League, wrecked the Rockets, sparking a first-half surge with his pesky defense and high-paced game to lead the Knicks to a 116-103 victory that snapped a four-game losing streak.
Down four players thanks to COVID-19 and losing Rose at halftime, McBride logged 36 minutes, scored 15 points to go with nine assists. Immanuel Quickley shared the backcourt with McBride in the fourth quarter and lit it up, finishing with 24 points, hitting 7 of 10 3-pointers.
In the fourth quarter, Thibodeau used a three-pronged backcourt of McBride-Quickley-Alec Burks to go with big men Taj Gibson and Mitchell Robinson.
And the quintet flowed with Quickley hitting three big long-range shots to give the Knicks space. Robinson scored 17 points with mostly putbacks and Gibson became a force in filling in at power forward for Kevin Knox, the latest to come down with COVID-19.
All the while, Julius Randle, after a good first half, sat on the pine for most of the fourth period as the Knicks pulled away after leading by two points after three quarters.
With the Knicks down Knox, Grimes, RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin to COVID-19 — and with Rose injured — not playing Kemba Walker was another gut-punch to the Bronx legend as his stunning fall from grace continues.
The Knicks moved to 13-16 — 2-7 since the Walker demotion as he received his ninth straight DNP-CD.
But should McBride continue to play like this, it’s hard to imagine Walker ever getting back in the mix.
In the first half, McBride scored 11 points in 12 minutes, made 4 of 5 shots and drained his first two 3-pointers.
Rose looked like he was laboring in the first half despite starting at point guard. And sure enough, at halftime, the Knicks announced Rose was out for the rest of the contest with an ankle injury and McBride started the second half.
Thibodeau noticed Rose’s lackluster movements in the second quarter. When Rose re-entered, Thibodeau quickly removed him for McBride again.
McBride picked up the Rockets’ guards in the backcourt and played the hounding defense he was known for in college. He had two coast-to-coast layups — one after picking up a loose ball, the other after an interception.
On that play, McBride’s hoop put the Knicks in front 44-33 and they took a 49-33 bulge with him on the floor.
After McBride’s 21-minute outing against Golden State on Tuesday, the veteran Rose admitted the kid can play.
“Deuce is a good player, man, a good young player,’’ Rose said. “His confidence is very high. His defense is top tier. And he just needs time. Hopefully, Thibs gives him the time. But we know how good he is and we know how good the rookies are. It’s all about opportunity in this league.”
The Rockets (9-20) were playing the second night of a back-to-back, are in full rebuilding mode and without their star rookie Jalen Green. But they recently won seven straight.
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