Knicks Three Key Players Asked For Contract Termination Due To Background Argument With…

In the Knicks’ series-opening victory over the 76ers, Tom Thibodeau started with a three-man bench on Saturday night, and that lineup turned the tide of the game in the team’s favor.

The trio of Miles McBride, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Mitchell Robinson scored 26-7 in the first half and 42-7 for the entire game to lead the Knicks to a 111-104 victory at the Garden against Philly’s bench.

Even more significant than the amount of points scored was Robinson’s excellent play on defense, where he spent many of those minutes covering Joel Embiid, the current MVP.

After undergoing ankle surgery in December, Robinson played 10 late-season games averaging 15.5 minutes. He started the first two quarters and the whole last period off the bench.

In thirty minutes, the seven-footer finished with eight points, 12 rebounds (seven offensive), a plus-20 rating, and four blocked shots.

He hadn’t played for as long since December 1st, when he recorded 32 minutes.

With almost two minutes remaining in the half, Robinson finished the first half with two blocks and a crucial dunk. When starter Isaiah Hartenstein took his place, he was met with a standing ovation.

In addition to Robinson’s significant influence, McBride scored 16 of his 21 points in the first half while Bogdanovic, in his first postseason game as a Knick, scored 8 of his 23 points.

The Knicks won the second 33-12 to turn a 13-point deficit in the first quarter into a 12-point lead at the half. The two combined for six 3-pointers in the half and were 8-for-13 from beyond the arc for the game.