Miles McBride: Knicks' 'Hidden Gem' in Stretch Run?

Miles McBride could be a hidden X-factor as the New York Knicks seek to solidify their playoff positioning.

The New York Knicks' second unit has been a bit of a rollercoaster thanks to several injuries and transactions. One of those who have been around for the whole ride could prove to be the difference in a lengthy playoff run. 

Backup point guard Miles McBride, currently working through his third year in New York, was recognized on a list of "hidden gems" for each of the NBA's 30 teams. McBride has been well-regarded for his defense but author Grant Hughes praised him for his offensive progress, as he's notably averaging 10.2 points in nine February appearances. 

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"The 23-year-old point guard is finally connecting on threes at the rate many expected following his last year at West Virginia, when he hit them at a 41.4 percent clip," Hughes said. "In addition to hitting 40.0 percent from deep this season, McBride has also improved his two-point finishing with a career-best 68.6 percent at the rim."

"When healthy, the Knicks can spread on-ball reps between Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Alec Burks, and Bojan Bogdanović. Even Josh Hart joins that crew with an assist percentage above the 50th percentile. That's why it's so important that McBride has been able to provide value as a shooting threat."

McBride's minutes have ebbed and flowed throughout the season: he saw a slight decline since Burks arrived from Detroit but has been forced to step up a bit in the wake of several missing regulars. That included a 45-minute showing in a rare start on Feb. 8 against Dallas, which saw him score a career-best 21 points while the Knicks waited for their deadline imports to arrive. 

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McBride's evolving shooting abilities could certainly come up big as the Knicks continue to make up the scoring lost when they traded Immanuel Quickley to Toronto back in December. The aforementioned start against the Mavericks was the last part of a four-game streak that saw him reach double-figures in every showing in that span.

The second-round pick's opportunity to impress comes on Monday when the Knicks face the Detroit Pistons at home (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).