THE Knicks played shorthanded Saturday again.
Landry Shamet And Miles McBride progress well but remain apart, and now Josh Hart joined them after injuring his ankle in the Christmas victory against the Cavs.
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Hart is still being evaluated, but is expected to be out for the entire road trip to New York.
So with the dynamic front missing, Mike Brown had the opportunity to delve even deeper into the depths of the Knicks.
We’ve seen some unexpected contributors step up this season, and now that was the case. Kevin McCullar Jr. it’s time to shine.
McCullar entered the night with just seven appearances in his professional career, but he was more than ready to go when Brown called him up as the first reserve to come off the bench.
“You just have to stay ready at all times,” he said. “Coach Brown trusts one through 17 on the bench, and you just have to try to be ready when your number is called.”
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McCullar pulled down four rebounds (three offensive) and dished out an assist in the first five active minutes.
The 24-year-old carried that into the second quarter, contributing to one of the plays of the season, in which he dove after a loose ball that he cleared, then found space and knocked down a corner three on the return pass.
It was those kinds of hustle plays that gave New York the energy they needed to finish the first half strong.
McCullar carried the momentum out of the locker room, hitting his third triple of the night as part of a seven-point quarter, helping the Knicks barely hold off Atlanta’s surge early in the second half.
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Then, when the Hawks refused to go, Brown trusted him enough to give him a few minutes.
The youngster ended up being named defensive player of the game in New York and he completed his most impressive NBA performance with 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in a career-high 23 minutes.
“I just wanted to give him a chance,” Brown said. “I threw him out there for a few minutes and he was fantastic, he earned even more minutes – I didn’t drop him for that many minutes, but he definitely deserved them.”
With Hart sidelined, McCullar may be able to earn even more minutes in future games.
