Former WVU Men’s Basketball standout Miles “Deuce” McBride popped off for a game-high 25 points in the New York Knicks’ series-clinching win over the Philadelphia 76ers Sunday. The Knicks swept the series in four games, with McBride saving his best postseason work for the blowout 144-114 victory. Read more: Former Mountaineer Miles McBride seals Knicks’ series win.
McBride, a fan favorite in the Big Apple, stole the show on the road in the City of Brotherly Love in Sunday’s contest. He led a New York squad that combined to shoot 49-91 (54%) from the field.
Sunday’s performance is McBride’s best playoff showing since joining the NBA ranks in 2021.
WVU roots
“Deuce” played his two seasons of collegiate basketball for the old gold and blue, leaving for the association following his sophomore year.
McBride was efficient, productive, and a pure athlete in his time at WVU. The Cincinnati native shot 41.9% overall from the field, spanning 60 games played. He started half of those contests.
It was his consistency coming off the bench throughout his freshman year that put the young man on the map. McBride only started two of the 31 games he played in during the 2019-20 season. Despite being a non-starter for the majority of the year, the Archbishop Moeller High School product averaged 9.5 points. McBride earned Big 12 All Freshman honors for his work.
The following year is when momentum snowballed.
Related: Mountaineers notch 13 runs, complete sweep at Kansas (Baseball)
McBride started 28 of the 29 games he played in, spearheading the Mountaineer offense with a 15.9 PPG average. Efficiency improved yet again, with his overall shooting percentage jumping to 43.1% for the year.
The Ohioan made the All Big 12 squad and propelled WVU to an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament, where the Mountaineers picked up a first round victory over Morehead State.
The Oklahoma City Thunder took McBride in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft, but the WVU star made his debut with New York that October.
Flash forward to Sunday
Four seasons of consistent improvement and an ever-increasing workload paid off for McBride in Sunday’s contest.
“Deuce” earned a spot in the starting five, his second time this postseason and fourth overall in the playoffs.
Simply put, McBride was methodical and took advantage of Philadelphia’s defensive gaps. There are several clips online of the Sixers’ defense leaving the New York guard wide open behind the arc. That was not the right move, as all seven of McBride’s successful field goal attempts game from deep. He shot 7-10 from the field (7-9 from three).
McBride tacked on four points from the charity stripe (4-4) and snagged four total rebounds. One of WVU Hoops’ finest stole the show in the overpowering outing, leading the Knicks to a 30-point win. Impressively, he did all of that work offensively without a single turnover.
In a not-so-common occurrence, stars such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, and Miles Bridges took a backseat to McBride. It was a sight to behold for those who enjoy following the former Mountaineer at the top level.
What’s next
The Knicks, thanks in part to the work of McBride, get an extended period of rest while the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers beat each other up. That series sits 2-1, falling in favor of Detroit.
NYK holds the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is the No. 4, while Detroit has the top spot.
No matter what happens in the Eastern Conference Finals, or possibly beyond, nothing can take away the solid performance from one of WVU’s best.
Related: Mountaineers win multiple events at WVU Last Chance (Track & Field)
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