After ten minutes of play, he had scored three times as many points… as the entire opposing team. Against the Pelicans, Mikal Bridges started the game very strong by scoring 13 points during this sequence, where New Orleans had only scored four.
The Knicks wing caught fire a few days after being benched by Tom Thibodeau late in the game against the Hornets. This reaction from the player? “ We needed it. And the most important thing is that it led to a victory. The way he played, he was confident and it came naturally. I love seeing this », Appreciates Jalen Brunson.
Author of a great start to the match, Mikal Bridges, certainly helped by a fairly sluggish opposing defense, continued his efforts in the following three quarters. While the change in his shooting gestures raised questions at the start of the season, he showed off his technical fluidity in this meeting.
With the finish, his best evening of the year behind the arc – 7/12 – and overall: 31 points (12/19 on shots). He stopped at 22 units during his previous best mark with New York. After the game, a reporter asked him if the Knicks were intentionally trying to get him back on track.
He's still adjusting to Karl-Anthony Towns
He assures him that no, that it was simply “ to try to win the match » and that the opportunities came within this framework. “ We didn't ask him too much, regarding the systems designed for him. It's his energy. He was making his shots. The ball naturally turns towards this energy. It was a good thing for him to play like that », greets Josh Hart.
The latter had been one of those who came to defend the former Nets player, recruited this summer, deploring that “ the media and people are constantly falling on him “. “ Josh is my guy, he knows me. My whole life revolves around basketball. I do everything to be ready for the match. He knows I put so much effort into this “, reacts to his former teammate at Villanova.
The latter, who was left on the field for 36 minutes – the longest playing time of the team – against the Pelicans despite the gap, undoubtedly to help him regain confidence, played his 20th match with the Knicks this season. To hear him say, the adaptation period is therefore not over.
“ It's a new team, that's about it. I've never played with offensive talent like (Karl-Anthony Towns) as interior. I've never had to deal with a big guy who comes out on 3-pointers like that. It's something we've had to adapt to, and it's going to take time », concludes Mikal Bridges.
| Mikal Bridges | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2018-19 | PHX | 82 | 30 | 43.0 | 33.5 | 80.5 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 8.3 |
| 2019-20 | PHX | 73 | 28 | 51.0 | 36.1 | 84.4 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 9.1 |
| 2020-21 | PHX | 72 | 33 | 54.3 | 42.5 | 84.0 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 13.5 |
| 2021-22 | PHX | 82 | 35 | 53.4 | 36.9 | 83.4 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 14.2 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 83 | 36 | 46.8 | 38.2 | 89.5 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 20.1 |
| 2022-23 * | PHX | 56 | 36 | 46.3 | 38.7 | 89.7 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 17.2 |
| 2022-23 * | BRK | 27 | 34 | 47.5 | 37.6 | 89.4 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 26.1 |
| 2023-24 | BRK | 82 | 35 | 43.6 | 37.2 | 81.4 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 19.6 |
| 2024-25 | NYK | 20 | 38 | 46.6 | 33.1 | 61.5 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 16.2 |
| Total | 494 | 33 | 48.0 | 37.2 | 84.3 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 14.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
