LAS VEGAS — Miles McBride’s ankle injury has given Tyler Kolek a major opportunity to prove that he can handle backup point guard duties and show the Knicks that they don’t need to find an upgrade.
He delivered a statement Saturday.
For much of the season, the Knicks have lost the minutes in which Kolek is on the floor.
But during their 132-120 win over the Magic at T-Mobile Arena in the NBA Cup semifinals, they were at their best with him on the floor.
He finished a team-best plus-17. It was likely his best game of the season — and perhaps career.
“Tyler did a fantastic job today, our young fella, of impacting winning,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “He did that on a big stage tonight. I think one of his finest games as an NBA player was tonight, and may not show up on the stats sheet, but everybody in our locker room knows how important he was to us tonight. And if you were watching the game as a Knicks fan or just a fan of basketball, he showed what it is to be ready and to be ready for his opportunity, and he maximized it tonight.”
It largely came in two terrific spurts.
He played the first seven minutes of the second quarter, and the Knicks outscored the Magic by 11 points. He had two points, three assists and a steal during that stretch.
At one point, he assisted a Josh Hart layup, stole a pass from Desmond Bane after the inbounds, and assisted a Mikal Bridges layup all in succession.
He was also in for a key stretch at the end of the third quarter and most of the fourth quarter, when the Knicks outscored the Magic by six points and regained control of the game.
It wasn’t until 5:41 left in the game that Kolek checked out.
“I think that was the first time in my career I closed it out like that,” Kolek told The Post. “Obviously, I’ve been in before at the end of the game when we’re up big, but to be able to close it out there with my guys, in Vegas where we can advance to the final game, it’s fun.”
McBride was spotted before the game in warmup gear and without either a walking boot or a limp.
It was a good sign toward his future availability after he suffered an ankle sprain on Dec. 7 against the Magic.
According to the Knicks, McBride will be reevaluated Dec. 18, the same day the Knicks are playing at the Pacers.
Without McBride or Landry Shamet (sprained shoulder), the Knicks are short on backcourt reserves.
Jordan Clarkson and Kolek are next in line.
Brunson surpassed 30 points for the 88th game as a Knick — passing Richie Guerin for the third-most in franchise history.
