On an evening the Knicks obtained triple-doubles from two gamers for the primary time in franchise historical past, the sport ball went to a rookie with two factors in three minutes.
It was a protracted and arduous highway for Kevin McCullar Jr., who was sidelined for roughly a 12 months with a knee damage earlier than making his NBA debut in Tuesday’s 128-113 victory over the Mavericks.
The 56th total decide in final 12 months’s draft was then handed the sport ball by Josh Hart, who broke Clyde Frazier’s report for many Knicks triple-doubles in a season however had a superb cause handy the rock to McCullar.
“For me, that’s a simple resolution,” Hart mentioned. “That report is cool and a blessing, however on the finish of the day that report’s going to get damaged in some unspecified time in the future. Hopefully, later somewhat than sooner. However that’s going to get damaged. Getting your first NBA factors, no person can take that away from you. It’s necessary that he had that, obtained the sport ball for that. That’s a simple resolution for me.”
McCullar, a 24-year-old wing out of Kansas, was grateful for the ball and the second.
“It’s been tough, however I saved my head on straight. Everyone has been supporting me right here and I’m simply glad that I’m again taking part in now,” McCullar mentioned, including, “Adversity makes you who you might be and everyone goes via it in numerous methods of life. … Rising up, that’s all I’ve recognized is taking part in basketball.”
McCullar was a late addition to Tuesday’s energetic checklist — the primary time he cracked the NBA roster.
Mitchell Robinson stays restricted from taking part in in each video games of back-to-backs, leaving the middle as a DNP on Tuesday in opposition to the Mavericks.
Formally, Robinson, who sat 10 months following ankle surgical procedure, was on the damage report for damage administration.
The expectation is he’ll play Wednesday evening in opposition to the Clippers.
It was the third time Robinson missed one sport of a back-to-back set.
With 4 extra on the schedule, Tom Thibodeau provided little on whether or not restrictions shall be lifted.
“We’re watching, monitoring how he’s progressing,” Thibodeau mentioned. “There are specific pointers we’re making an attempt to observe after which we’ll go from there. So we’ll see the way it goes.”
Robinson has additionally operated on a steadily easing minutes restriction since returning.
Miles McBride missed his second straight sport with a groin contusion, an damage he sustained in Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs.
However, McBride performed 36 minutes the next day in Charlotte.
Then the damage was extreme sufficient to maintain him out of consecutive video games.
Thibodeau deflected when requested how that occurred.
“Simply daily,” the coach mentioned. “Simply see how he’s responding.”
