Knicks Notes: Miles McBride’s big minutes, why Precious Achiuwa was benched in fourth quarter

The Knicks were without Jalen Brunson after their All-Star guard left Sunday’s win against the Cavaliers with a knee contusion.

Going against the Atlanta Hawks, who were without Trae Young, the Knicks probably thought they could get through Tuesday’s game with a win without their court general. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case as the depleted Knicks’ comeback fell short.

Here are notes from Tuesday’s loss…

Miles McBride’s big minutes

In relief of Brunson on Sunday, McBride put up big minutes.

On Sunday, McBride scored 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting while on the floor for 47 minutes. It was more of the same Tuesday as the 23-year-old put up 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting in 46 minutes.

In total, McBride has clocked in 93 minutes across his last two games.

After the loss, McBride was asked about his minutes and if he ever feels he needs a breather.

"I don’t even think about it,” he told The Athletic’s Fred Katz. “This is what I’ve wanted, to be guarding the best player and to be playing point guard at a high level. This is what I’ve wanted my whole life. So I’ve done whatever I can to prepare for it."

When Brunson will return is unclear. The team’s next game is Friday at home against the Orlando Magic.

Why wasn’t Precious Achiuwa on the floor more in the fourth quarter?

The Knicks entered the fourth quarter down just five points, but head coach Tom Thibodeau elected to not have Achiuwa on the floor for much of the frame -- he played just two minutes. It didn’t help the team’s rebounding as New York was outrebounded 51-40.

While the Knicks’ shooting -- 38 percent from the field and 31 percent from three -- was a big factor in Tuesday’s loss, Thibodeau pointed to the battle on the glass as the biggest "problem."

"You're in position to win, the rebounding was a problem," Thibodeau explained. "That was a bigger concern for me. Missed shots are a part of the game but your rebounding that’s important. It's one of the few times we got outrebounded."

As for the reason Achiuwa wasn’t on the floor, Thibodeau said that’s just "the way the game went."

"They were collapsing so we needed shooting on the floor," Thibodeau said. 

Donte DiVincenzo's struggles from three

DiVincenzo has been great of late. He has scored 20-plus points in four of his last five games, including Tuesday. However, the first-year Knick had an off shooting night against the Hawks.

The Villanova product shot 7-for-24 (29 percent), including 5-of-17 from three (29 percent).

Entering Tuesday’s game, DiVincenzo was shooting 45 percent, including 41 percent from three -- so his recent performance is an outlier. The guard felt it was an odd game for him.

"At the start of the game I don’t think I took a shot that wasn’t a normal shot for me,” DiVincenzo said after the game. “A couple of them toilet-bowled out and a couple of them you know felt good, they were in and out."

In the first quarter, DiVincenzo was 1-for-9 from three, but he would eventually find his range thanks to his team.

"Everybody told me keep shooting, long game," he said.

The team as a whole struggled from three. The Knicks shot 16-for-52 overall from three, their most misses from long distance in a game this season.