The New York Knicks just got Miles McBride back after a five-game layoff with a knee injury, and they could soon have Precious Achiuwa back to provide more bench support.
According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said Monday that Achiuwa is “pretty much doing everything right now” in practice as he recovers from a hamstring strain he suffered in the preseason. Achiuwa has missed all 17 games this season while dealing with the injury.
New York will desperately need Achiuwa’s presence inside, which has been a weak spot for the team so far this season. Achiuwa also provides depth at the center position behind Karl-Anthony Towns, and his versatility also gives Thibodeau the flexibility to use him in lineups that include Towns.
Achiuwa will also give the second unit a formidable scoring option in the frontcourt. New York ranks last in bench points per game at 20.4 and has the second-fewest bench rebounds at just 9.4, as they do not yet have a fully healthy second unit, often relying on freshmen to play short bursts of minutes to give the starters some rest.