With OG Anunoby out with a flare-up in his surgically repaired elbow, New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau pulled off a move that caught the Golden State Warriors by surprise.
“I thought Tom made a great play by starting [Miles] McBride with OG out,” Kerr told reporters following the Knicks’ 119-112 wire-to-wire win at Chase Center on Monday, March 18. slowly and of course he went ahead and they spread us out very soon.
McBride took the opportunity and played out of his mind, blocking Stephen Curry on the defensive end and knocking down 3-pointers like he was Stephen Curry.
McBride’s tight defense on Curry rattled the Warriors, who were held scoreless for the first 3:53 of the game — their longest opening scoring drought in more than three years.
The Knicks went on an 18-4 run and never looked back.
McBride’s solid defense fueled his confidence as he hit 6 3-pointers en route to 29 points, both career highs. He had 11 points in the first quarter and 19 at halftime.
“We wanted to add more shooting on the floor,” Thibodeau told reporters. “That’s really why we did it. When they sent the second defender (in Brunson) now we have another 3-point shooter out there. We thought he would make a difference.”