Miles McBride’s uncertain availability vs. 76ers could thin out Knicks’ bench

Miles McBride is again on the injury report, but for a different condition.

The guard, sixth man and only reserve coach Tom Thibodeau has trusted, is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Sixers due to left knee inflammation.

It’s the same knee that McBride hyperextended during a win over the Pacers in October. He has been wearing black tape around it ever since.

McBride was also questionable for Sunday’s game at Indiana due to an illness, but played 29 minutes and finished with seven points and two steals.

After starting the season on fire with his shot, McBride cooled off in five games in November, shooting just 34 percent overall and 30 percent from beyond the arc.

If McBride is out, an already thin bench would be decimated. It would place more significance on the availability of Cam Payne, who has missed four straight games with a strained hamstring.

Payne is also listed as questionable for Tuesday.

Precious Achiuwa is out again due to a strained hamstring he suffered in the preseason finale more than three weeks ago. He has yet to play this season.

“Cam has moved on because he’s obviously doing a lot more on the field,” Thibodeau said. ‘Precious is still not approved for practice. He does a lot on the field, but he hasn’t been cleared to practice yet. So there’s still a step before we can say it’s getting close.”

Tyler Kolek and Jericho Sims were part of the rotation given the injuries, but played just three second-half minutes in Sunday’s loss as Thibodeau stayed with six players most of the time.

The Knicks go straight from playoff failure to playoff glory.

After falling to the Pacers on Sunday in Indy, Thibodeau’s squad opens its NBA Cup schedule against the Sixers for Joel Embiid’s expected season debut.

It will be the first time the Knicks play in Philly since eliminating the Sixers in Game 6 of the opening round last May. And while there are no playoffs on the line, the matchup has taken on more significance as both franchises struggle out of the gate.

“It’s extremely important,” said Josh Hart, who buried the Game 6 dagger 3-pointer at Wells Fargo Arena. “For us, a new team, we are trying to find a rhythm, especially defensively. So we have to keep working and keep building, especially against a team like that. Joel is coming back, so it will be a good test, obviously a tough environment. So it will be a good test for us. I think that’s the most important thing, just because of their talent.”

Karl-Anthony Towns is a newcomer, but brings history with Embiid to this rivalry.

Both were represented by Leon Rose in 2019, were involved in an on-court brawl and were ejected. Embiid then took to social media with insults, calling Towns a “b**ch” and a “p**sy.”

“I beat your ass and please make it to the playoffs before you talk,” Embiid posted at the time. “It’s a known thing that I own you.”

That was also five years ago, and Towns said he wasn’t concerned about Embiid.

“I’m just concerned that we’re trying to win,” the Knicks center said. ‘All that stuff, it doesn’t mean anything. What means something to me is that you get it in the left column. It’s the one thing that should matter to all of us. Finding ways to win, putting ourselves in a good position to win every night, use these learning experiences and make us a better team.

Embiid has not played yet this season due to load management and a three-game suspension for pushing a reporter.