Game 4 Should Be the Last Knicks See of Miles McBride in Finals

Miles McBride continues to disappoint for the Knicks in the Finals. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

There are a few players who haven't contributed much to the Knicks' 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals, and there are several who didn't help much during their Game 4 comeback. Unfortunately for Miles McBride, he falls into both categories.

Wednesday marked yet another poor night from the guard, whose offense has gone missing this series and is now struggling defensively as well. Now, ahead of the biggest game of the entire season, it seems a benching is in order for the team's previous sixth man.

Miles McBride could be headed to Knicks DNP in Game 4 aftermath

There were simply zero redeeming qualities to McBride's appearance in Game 4.

He logged zero points, missing each of his four shots from the field. Notably, all of these came from deep as well. This shows a player who's pressing instead of trying to make things easier for himself, which is maddening considering how he's clearly not in top form and could use any help he can get.

Even more, McBride didn't add a single stat in any other category. He could've attacked the rim in hopes of drawing a foul. He could've focused on playmaking or rebounding, with his shot not there.

Miles McBride vs. San Antonio Spurs 6/10/2026

0 PTS | 0-4 FG | W 107-106 pic.twitter.com/s2q6nyjzy3

— NBA Shooting Audit (@NBAShotAudit) June 11, 2026

Then there's the most concerning development: his defense. Even though McBride hasn't been the offensive threat the Knicks expect this entire postseason, he's made up for it by being one of their top-three defenders. That's no longer the case, though.

On Wednesday, McBride had a jaw-dropping 185.7 defensive rating, and his net rating was minus-105.7. For reference, in the regular season, McBride posted a 110.4 DRtg (the lower the better) and was plus-9.5 in net rating (so his team scored more than they gave up when he was on the floor, an essential for winning basketball).

This shows up not just in advanced stats, but on the court. One easy way McBride could help New York is by making sure he stops San Antonio's sixth man, Dylan Harper, from making a difference from the bench. Yet the Spurs are winning when these players go head-to-head.

Harper has scored at least 13 points in every contest, giving the Spurs much-needed support from a non-starter and a second-unit advantage on nights where the Knicks' reserves struggle. This was the case in Game 4, as Harper popped off for 21 points and outscored New York's entire bench by nine just on his own.

Miles McBride hasn't had much success guarding Dylan Harper throughout the NBA Finals. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It's apparent the San Antonio reserve is getting the better of McBride when they're matched up. Harper has notched nine points with McBride as his primary defender, while shooting 50% from the field (4-of-8) in these instances. Three of Harper's four misses with McBride on him have come from deep, so that makes it clear McBride is failing to keep the Spurs guard contained when he moves closer to the hoop.

As the Knicks prepare for Game 5, they have to address some of their weaknesses. If they let this series be extended, it creates less margin for error and more room for things like injuries to go wrong. A dejected San Antonio team is ripe for finishing off, but a win on Saturday is going to help them gain some confidence again.

With that in mind, head coach Mike Brown needs to make some tough decisions to give New York its best chance of ending the NBA Finals. That includes on the bench, and McBride being an indisputable negative cannot be tolerated. Jose Alvarado looks like he should have his role elevated on the heels of being essential to Wednesday's comeback, while Tyler Kolek looms as another reserve who could provide a surprise spark.

The Spurs have no reason to fear McBride as a scorer or shooter, which allows them to scale back their defensive focus and hurts the remaining Knicks on the floor as a direct result. Meanwhile, he's a matchup San Antonio can keep picking on defensively with Harper and others with no real negative consequences.

There's nothing that McBride is bringing to the table for New York right now, other than the semblance of a threat, but these past two nights in particular show that's not even much for the Spurs to worry about. Simply put, even his seven or eight minutes do more damage than good, which requires Brown to reallocate them.