Why Mikal Bridges is a key to unlocking Knicks' championship potential

11/19/2024 01:28 PM

Mikal Bridges has had an awkward start to his tenure as a member of the New York Knicks. Bridges looked like a major missing piece. He was widely considered an ideal third star who happened to be moonlighting as the Brooklyn Nets’ best player. So, joining the Knicks was a logical fit, as he was set to be a supplemental star behind Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. But plans change. New York traded Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns—a move that destabilized the roster by removing some depth and resulting in less familiarity between starters.

Knicks’ early struggles coincide with Bridges battle to regain form

On a more personal level, Bridges struggled at first, too. He tweaked his jump shot before joining the Knicks. That change was seemingly meant to achieve a higher release point. It didn’t work well. Bridges shot just 2-for-19 on three-pointers through four pre-season games. And his start to the regular season looked similarly tenuous. He was 0 for 4 on threes in the first half of the first game of the season.

Sure, Bridges made two of his three triples in the second half of that first game, but his struggles weren’t over yet. He shot only 30.8% on three-point attempts through the first 10 games of the season, and he broke 20 points just once. Comparatively, Bridges made 37.2% of his three-pointers last season, and he averaged 19.6 points per game in 2023-24.

Thankfully, Bridges has played better of late. He scored 20 or more in three straight games prior to Monday’s blowout win against the Washington Wizards, and he shot eight-for-21 on three-pointers ( 38%) in those three games.

Bridges’ clear-cut role continues to evade

Still, Bridges is clearly struggling to find his role. For example, he’s shot just 11 free throws through the Knicks first 13 games. That’s after shooting 317 last season. He’s pretty clearly on pace for a career low.

Bridges’ defense has also been less impactful. Yes, he had a game-saving block against the Brooklyn Nets last week, which gave Knicks’ fans something to be happy about. But he’s had less of an impact than you’d expect, especially alongside OG Anunoby, with whom he was widely expected to form a monster defensive unit.

Furthermore, the Knicks’ are simply better without him, at least according to the statistics. New York has a better offensive and defensive rating without Bridges on the floor than they do with him. They shoot better (twos and threes) without him, too. And opponents shoot a better field goal percentage (twos and threes) with him on the floor. That’s a lot to digest. But it’s not all Bridges’ fault.

The Knicks are still a team learning to play with each other. Add in the fact that they swapped two above-average defenders at center for one less-than-stellar defender, along with the fact that their depth has been effectively depleted, at least for now, and you get a team struggling to stay live up to their potential. And with Bridges leading the Knicks in minutes played, his stats will inevitably be impacted by those around him. But this too shall pass.

Despite all of the statistics, Bridges will be fine

Still, the real Mikal Bridges is in there somewhere. He’s finding his role. In doing so, he leads the entire league in minutes per game. With a coach like Tom Thibodeau, who relies on players he trusts above all else, that’s saying something considering he just joined the team.

Additionally, he’s shown flashes of creating for himself. Flashes. But still, he’s penetrated off the dribble and scored a bit more as of late without being set up. And his back-to-the-basket game has been a bright spot.

So, ultimately, don’t fret, Knicks fans. It’s been just 14 games or 17% of the season. And the Knicks have stayed afloat, going 8-6 so far. And they’ve played all of those games without two important players: Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa. So, it’s important to understand that there are brighter days ahead.

Bridges will figure it out. He’s beloved by his teammates, especially his former college teammates (Brunson and Josh Hart). He’s previously played alongside superstars like Devin Booker. So, figuring out how to fit alongside the Knicks’ talented starting lineup shouldn’t be a problem. And he’s the most durable player in the game today. So, give him a little more time. Even if his production doesn’t live up to what he’s done in the past, his impact will be felt.

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