The New York Knicks dropped Game 3 of their first-round playoff series to the Atlanta Hawks in another one-point defeat, putting their season on the brink. Reserve guard Deuce McBride outshone starter Mikal Bridges, sparking talk of a potential adjustment for Game 4. Coach Mike Brown hinted at evaluating all options.
In Game 3, Mikal Bridges played 21 minutes without scoring a point, as the Knicks were outscored by 26 points during his time on the court. Deuce McBride, coming off the bench, logged 31 minutes and tallied 15 points. The lineup featuring McBride alongside Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns outscored the Hawks by 24 points in 14 shared minutes, powering a second-half comeback that fell just short in the one-point loss. This marked New York's second consecutive narrow defeat to Atlanta after a stronger showing in Games 1 and 2 at home, where starters posted a +6 net rating over 46 minutes. Bridges has struggled recently, averaging under 11 points over his last 20 meaningful games on subpar shooting splits, with reduced defensive impact per NBA.com data. McBride, meanwhile, shot 41.3% from three on nine attempts per 36 minutes this season, ranking among the league's top shooters. Coach Mike Brown remained non-committal postgame, saying, 'I'm not even thinking about that right now... We have to look at everything.' The Knicks hired Brown after firing Tom Thibodeau last year for inflexible lineups during playoffs against Boston and Indiana. New York's starters have hovered near neutral net rating this season, prompting Brown's experimental approach. Starting McBride could enhance on-ball defense against Hawks guards like CJ McCollum and balance the guard-heavy bench, allowing more wing minutes for Bridges. With two losses from first-round elimination, Brown's Game 4 decision looms large.
