It finally happened. Miles McBride got his Madison Square Garden moment — and it was one to remember.
As part of the Knicks’ 143-point demolition of the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, McBride delivered a highlight-reel dunk that had the sellout crowd on its feet.
With 3:30 left in the fourth quarter and the Knicks up by 33, McBride made a sharp cut from the left wing.
His defender, Jake LaRavia, turned his head to help as Jericho Sims screened Tyler Kolek, who was handling the ball.
Kolek then slipped a bounce pass to McBride, who caught a body, soaring for a one-handed tomahawk over Memphis’ 7-1 center, Jay Huff.
“S–t, finally! F–k!” Karl-Anthony Towns exclaimed postgame. “It’s been forever. We’ve been waiting.”
McBride’s punch on Huff, just his sixth dunk of the season, was a long time coming, according to his teammates.
“I see it all the time in practice,” Towns said. “I’m just so happy for him. He’s one guy that shows professionalism every single day — always in the gym, working hard on his game and taking care of his body. Nights like this, when he gets to show his athleticism and what he can do, make me proud as his teammate and brother.”
Mikal Bridges even gave McBride the nod for Dunk of the Night, despite Precious Achiuwa’s vicious transition tomahawk over Memphis’ 7-footer Santi Aldama.
“Precious just be taking off [all the time],” Bridges said. “But I gotta give it to Deuce. That one was crazy.”
The dunk not only electrified the Garden crowd but also brought the Knicks’ bench to life. Cameras caught OG Anunoby rolling on the floor as teammates jumped out of their seats in celebration.
“Shows how much we love each other,” Bridges said. “It’s great. It shows how together we are and how much we want the next guy to succeed.”
“These guys work so hard in this locker room and they get a chance to show their skills in front of their fans, in front of the most famous arena in the world and having the chance to show the work they put in every day and the professionalism that they show to us every single day,” Towns added. “I just think more about that if we do our job, we give our teammates a chance to show what they can do and produce for their families.”
KAT’S PAW
Towns finally found his touch from beyond the arc.
After going 1-for-10 on three-point attempts since spraining his thumb in a Jan. 13 matchup against Detroit, Towns hit two of his four triples in Monday’s win over Memphis.
“Man, it’s been a struggle, huh? I ain’t gonna lie to you — I was worried my damn self,” Towns admitted. “But shooters always think the next one’s in. My teammates kept the confidence in me, and I just wanted to reward their trust.”
When asked whether his improved shooting night was due to growing comfortable playing with the injury or his sprained thumb actually healing, Towns was quick to clarify.
“It ain’t the last one [the thumb healing],” he said with a smirk. “I think it’s more just getting more comfortable out there.”
Despite the slump, Towns is shooting a career-high 43.2% from three this season. Towns declined to go into detail when asked how his thumb feels physically.
“It feels like we’ve gotten two wins by a great margin,” he said. “And I feel very good when I go home to eat food.”
NEXT UP: JOKIC
The Knicks’ next challenge is no small task — Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets visit MSG on Wednesday. Jokic, a three-time MVP, is averaging a 30-point triple-double this season and remains the centerpiece of a Denver team in contention for the top seed in the West.
Towns, who has a long history with Jokic from their years as Western Conference rivals during his nine years with the Minnesota Timberwolves, downplayed the matchup.
“[I approach Jokic the] same way I approach every other game: try to be our best, execute our game plan,” Towns said. “He’s a tremendous talent, one of the best we’ve ever seen. It’s always great when you get to play against the best.”
The Knicks will look to replicate their Nov. 25 success against Denver, when they scored a season-high 145 points in a commanding win. Towns dominated that game with 30 points and 15 rebounds, while the Knicks held Jokic to a rare off night — just 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.