Mikal Bridges didn’t see the floor for a single second in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ win over the Brooklyn Nets, and it wasn’t an isolated decision. If he doesn’t get back to running the floor and slicing into the paint with more force, it probably won’t be the last time he’s parked late in games.
Mike Brown made that clear when he addressed the move after Monday’s game. Asked about sitting Bridges for the final 15-plus minutes, Brown said Mikal “ has to hang his hat on ” his running and cutting.
That part of Bridges’ game has gone missing, and with it, a lot of what made him such a useful offensive piece in the first place. The shot is part of the story, sure.
After going 0-of-2 from deep against the Nets, Bridges is down to 26.9 percent from three on the season. That slump also comes with fewer attempts from beyond the arc than he averaged last year on a per-36 basis.
But the bigger concern isn’t just the jumper. It’s the way his offensive profile has shrunk.
Bridges is taking just 17.8 percent of his shots at the basket, which would be the lowest mark of his career by a wide margin. For a player whose value has always been tied to movement, pace and pressure on the rim, that’s a red flag.
The transition numbers tell the same story. Last season, 24.7 percent of his possessions came in transition, the highest on the team.
This year, he has finished fewer than 10 total possessions on the break. That’s not a small dip.
That’s a major change in how he’s being used, or how he’s playing.
And when Bridges does get chances to attack the rim, the results haven’t helped him. He’s finishing at 62 percent at the basket, 13 points below last season. Before Monday, he was sitting on a 40.4 true shooting percentage on “finishing” possessions, more than 16 points below the league average and more than 25 points under last year’s 66.5 mark.
That’s why this goes beyond missed jumpers. The Knicks can live with shooting variance. What they can’t ignore is a player who isn’t getting to the spots that once defined him.
Brown’s only real option here is tough love. Some fans are already talking about trading Bridges, but that’s not happening.
It’s still early, and his defense still matters too much to New York. At the same time, the Knicks can’t keep letting him drift through these stretches without consequences.
Especially not with the rest of the offense struggling around him. Jalen Brunson is still fighting through his own shooting slump.
OG Anunoby hasn’t been consistent from three and has had his own identity issues at times. As a team, the Knicks are sitting in the bottom five in effective field-goal percentage.
That leaves very little room for error, and Bridges has been part of the problem. New York’s offensive rating drops by 34 points with him on the floor, the biggest reverse swing on the team by a huge margin.
So yes, the missed shots matter. But the larger issue is how Bridges is playing, not just what he’s making. Until he gets back to the running, cutting and rim pressure that made him special, the Knicks won’t be able to trust him when the game is on the line.
In Other News...
Mike Brown Is Sending An Early Message With Knicks Rookie Tyler Kolek
The Knicks win over the Nets at Madison Square Garden offered another small but telling glimpse into how Mike Brown is approaching his rotation early in the season. With New York now 3-4, Brown gave rookie point guard Tyler Kolek a short run and showed enough trust to keep him in the mix, even as the game leaned on more established contributors to steady things.
Landry Shamet led the scoring with 22 points, while Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby helped carry the load as the Knicks continue sorting out their depth. Jose Alvarado also returned and logged nine minutes, adding a block in his first action back, but the bigger takeaway was Browns willingness to give Kolek a real look as New York keeps shaping its backcourt picture. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Be Reaching A Breaking Point With Mikal Bridges
The Knicks got the win over Brooklyn, but Mikal Bridges night was a reminder that not everything is clicking in New York just yet. Bridges managed only six points on 1-of-7 shooting and was limited to 16 minutes, an outing that fit the broader concern around his early-season form. Head coach Mike Brown acknowledged the slump and said Bridges needs to lean into the parts of his game that have made him valuable.
What makes the stretch more notable is how far Bridges current production has dipped from what he delivered last season, which has naturally raised questions about his role and fit. For a Knicks team trying to build consistency, getting him back on track matters beyond one box score. The hope is still there that he can rediscover his rhythm, but the margin for patience is getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hart Sees One Early Knicks Strength That Could Matter Most
The Knicks left Barclays Center with a 103-90 win over the Nets, and the most encouraging part for Josh Hart was not the final score so much as where the help came from. With the starters going through a rough shooting night, New York leaned on its second unit, and Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek were among the reserves who helped steady the game and keep the offense moving.
Hart pointed to that depth as an early strength that could matter as the season wears on. For a team that expects its top group to carry a heavy load, getting a real lift from the bench in a game like this is the kind of sign that can change how the Knicks navigate tougher stretches ahead. [Read more 🡒]