When Deuce McBride made his return from sports hernia surgery back in late March, the hope among the New York Knicks and their fanbase was that they had just gotten their trusty two-way backcourt menace back just in time for their high-stakes playoff run.
His 21 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the floor and 57.1 percent shooting from deep in the club's regular season finale only made the belief that he was back to pre-injury form all the more reasonable.
Turns out, two months of recovery weren't enough for the 25-year-old to get to 100 percent, as he recently revealed that even though he admittedly feels "solid" overall, he still finds himself working through "residual pain" from the surgery.
While this particular ailment is far from, say, a hamstring strain when it comes to high risk of re-injury, considering the fact that he's openly discussing just how unpleasant it still feels months after going under the knife, it's safe to say that the Knicks must severely temper their expectations regarding his play and usage during their upcoming playoff run, at least during the early rounds of action.
Not two weeks ago, Deuce gave everyone a real scare that he could be sidelined yet again after simply diving for a loose ball.
Expecting anything more than ~75.0 percent from McBride at this point may be wishful thinking.
Jose Alvarado could be called upon more than Knicks fans think
With the uncertainty of McBride's health moving forward, it's more than plausible that the Knicks could look to Jose Alvarado more than many fans may currently be expecting.
Though the point guard has seen his role within coach Mike Brown's rotation fall off rather significantly over the months following his arrival at the February 5 deadline, New York didn't trade for the Brooklyn native simply to collect dust on the pine.
From his pesky defensive abilities and underrated offensive chemistry with star big Karl-Anthony Towns to his contagious energy that Jalen Brunson praised as being a noteworthy "skill," despite his sporadic playing time as of late, Alvarado is viewed as a real difference-maker among his Knicks peers.
Unlike in years past, New York is far from averse to dipping into their depth, and coach Brown is the leading factor toward this rotational shift.
With this in mind, coupled with the residual effects of McBride's sports hernia operation, Alvarado should be heading into his first playoff go-around with the Knicks ready to step in and contribute at a moment's notice.
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