Mikal Bridges has gone from being heavily criticized to becoming a key reason the New York Knicks are in the NBA Finals. After struggling early in the postseason against Atlanta — including poor shooting in Games 2 and 3 — Bridges was widely questioned by fans who were frustrated by the large trade package New York used to acquire him. But in the month that followed, he responded with a strong all-around run that helped carry the Knicks through the conference playoffs and into the Finals.
Bridges averaged 16.6 points during New York’s 11-game winning streak in the conference playoffs, shooting 62.6% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range. He also made an impact on defense, guarding key perimeter threats such as Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and James Harden. In the Knicks’ Game 1 win against San Antonio, he helped hold the Spurs to 36% shooting overall and 25.6% from beyond the arc.
Inside the Knicks’ locker room, Bridges’s teammates say they never doubted his value. Karl-Anthony Towns said the team understands what Bridges brings and believes outside criticism should not matter. Josh Hart, who has known Bridges since their days together at Villanova, also defended him strongly. Hart said Bridges has always responded well to adversity and described him as a winning player who can decide games with big shots, steals, blocks and other defensive plays.
Bridges’s season has not been without rough stretches. He averaged 14.4 points per game during the regular season, shot 49% from the floor and 37.1% from three, but his efficiency dropped after the All-Star break. He shot 43.1% in March and under 30% from three in April. Knicks coach Mike Brown said he could have done more to put Bridges in better positions to succeed, and noted that Brown had hoped to reduce Bridges’s workload and make him more of a facilitator.
Despite the struggles, Brown said Bridges never lost confidence. Bridges agreed, saying he has always had strong people around him and has learned not to focus too much on outside noise. He said he tries to stay levelheaded, keep working and concentrate on his team rather than criticism.
Now the Knicks face the pressure of protecting their Finals lead, with expectations that San Antonio will respond strongly in Game 2. New York knows an 0-2 deficit is still recoverable, but giving away two home games would make the path much harder. For the Knicks to keep advancing, they will need Bridges to keep playing at the high level that has turned him from target of blame into one of their biggest strengths.
