ATLANTA — One ankle sprain is at least close to healed, another is just getting started.
Miles McBride, who missed the last seven games with a left ankle sprain, was upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s game against the Hawks, the Knicks announced.
Josh Hart, meanwhile, was ruled out of the contest in Atlanta with a right ankle sprain, an injury he sustained in the fourth quarter of a Christmas victory over the Cavaliers.
If McBride returns, it’ll be his first appearance since he landed on the foot of Orlando’s Desmond Bane on Dec. 7. McBride was on a hot streak before the injury, splashing 27 of his prior 47 treys.
He’d be joining a rotation that has thrived with the inclusion of Tyler Kolek as the backup point guard, but is also unknown without Hart, the regular starting small forward.
Coach Mike Brown could opt for the double-big starting lineup with Mitchell Robinson at center and Karl-Anthony Towns at power forward. He could instead thrust McBride into the lineup.
The last time Hart missed a game — Dec. 18 at Indianapolis — Brown surprisingly started rookie Mohamed Diawara at forward.
Hart was limping badly following the injury on Christmas, which occurred as he drove and stepped on Cleveland’s Dean Wade.
Hart then buried a pair of free throws — he was fouled on the play — and retreated to the locker room. Brown said he had no update on Hart’s status in his postgame press conference, and the Knicks did not hold a practice Friday before flying to Atlanta.
Hart is averaging 12.3 points, eight rebounds and 5.1 assists in 28 games this season. The Knicks are 11-3 with him as a starter.
McBride is averaging 11.6 points on a career-best 44.4 percent from behind the arc in 20 appearances this season.
The Hawks are playing the Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back after Friday night’s home game against the Heat.
Atlanta center Kristaps Porzingis hasn’t played since Dec. 5 because of an illness. The former Knick was diagnosed last season with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, a disorder that disrupts heart rate and blood pressure regulation.
The Hawks and Knicks will be facing off for the first time this season.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
