Knicks forward Mikal Bridges‘ first year in New York continues to be somewhat up and down. As Andrew Crane of The New York Post observes, the former All-Defensive Teamer went scoreless on 0-of-9 shooting from the floor in a lopsided recent 126-101 Friday defeat to the Thunder.
“I just gotta make them,” Bridges said of his shooting woes. “I think I’m just short on a lot of them probably these past couple games. I just gotta put a little more lift probably on it.”
Across his last three contests, Bridges has shot just 6-of-32 from the floor.
On the season, the 6’6″ wing is averaging 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, all solid stats. He’s connecting on a just-mediocre 33.2% of his 6.8 three-point attempts per night, however. That represents a career-worst, and Bridges’ first time below 36% since his 2018/19 rookie season.
There’s more out of the Big Apple:
- The Knicks obliterated Milwaukee, 140-106, on Sunday, but a happy victory hardly erases New York’s recent slump, opines Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post (subscriber link). The team has gone 2-4 across its last six contests, a brutal stretch to follow up a nine-game win streak. Bridges’ recent shooting issues have been a concern, while All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns missed one of those losses with an injury. But it’s tough to excuse the team’s middling effort in its recent blowout loss to Oklahoma City, Vaccaro opines.
- Nets general manager Sean Marks is angling to capitalize on what’s expected to be a starry 2025 draft class, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Part of that goal includes prioritizing the future over the present, be that trading away veterans or thinking longer-term and not necessarily looking to win games now. Since opening night, Brooklyn has already dealt away veterans Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton in the interest of draft equity and future cap space. “We’re going to have to be systematic with some of the decisions we make,” Marks told Lewis. “And they may not always be in line with winning the next game or putting the most talent out there.” For now, the 13-25 Nets have the sixth-worst record in the league, and thus the sixth-best lottery odds. “To be frank, you’ve still got to get a little lucky,” Marks said. “The hot-button topic has always been the draft. We all know we’ve still got to get lucky. At the end of the day, the Ping-Pong balls are going to drop a certain way.”
- While there has been some speculation that the Grizzlies could emerge as a real trade bidder for Nets forward Cameron Johnson, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal remains somewhat dubious, tweeting that the two sides have yet to engage in significant talks with regard to a Johnson trade.
The NYK shooting slump may or may not be over, but it was never the real issue. Even with the slump, and Bridges’ struggles, they’ve remained a top 3 offensive team, and can get back to the top spot with a few more outings like today.
The issue is the NYK are an average (at best) defensive team. That’s not part of any recent slump. It’s been the case all season. It’s just more noticable on the scoreboard in the games they don’t shoot well, including the last few weeks. Not noticable at all when they score 140 points, like today. But the issue is still there and there’s no indication it will get better with time alone.
I agree they’re not the D team of last yr. But that’s missing Mitch and IHart. With Towns they are not a top D team. Still better now than at beginning of season. Still the biggest issue now. Is bench scoring. They are at bottom in this. Even if Mitch coming back makes them a top D team. Their bench scoring is not good enough to beat top teams. IMO that’s their biggest issue. I don’t think they count on Mitch. He probably gets moved for a bench scorer. I’m good with Hukporti and Sims as backups. TJWarren is also waiting for a call-up. Our best trade assets are Mitch, Kolek, McBride.
Once Mitch is back in game shape, I want him starting with either Hart or Bridges running the bench and finishing games.
“He’s connecting on a just-mediocre 33.2% of his 6.8 triple tries a night,”
If you remove “heaves” from his totals (shots beyond half court, per bb-ref), his 3 pt % becomes a slightly more palatable 34.2% (including his 1-4 against the Bucks tonight) because he’s taken eight of them so far this season.
3pt shooting is not the issue with him. Two gms where it seems he doesn’t even want to be there.
Wasn’t the NBA thinking about removing those attempts from player stats? I don’t get what the holdup is. Seems like a no-brainer.
I don’t know if a constantly injured Mitchell Robinson should really be counted on to fix your woes. None of OG, Bridges or Hart have ever been top tier outside shooters, and adding Robinson, I think makes the offensive expectations even lower. Not really sure you can have all 4 of those on the court at the same time ever.
This is where they miss Donte
Why are so many people panicking over this 2-4 stretch? Using short term snapshots then, they’re 11-4 over their last 15.
All that matters is that they’re 26-14 now, and that they’re at their best when game 83 hits. They have 42 more games to work things out, and with how weak the East is beyond the top 4-6 teams, there’s no real pressure to be playoff ready today.
Bridges was MIA against Thunder. I saw a few plays were he literally didn’t want anything to do with SGA on D. He pulled a Ben Simmons and hid. One game I won’t get crazy like haters and geniuses. Then he comes back with Bucks gm. And lets Brunson do the hard lifting. He was more than happy to let him too.
Bridges :; 37 mins. 2/5 FG, with 6 pts.
Bridges should easily be a top three scorer on this team. And Brunson as the captain and PG. Shoulg be making sure of that. Bridges is not aggressive enough. And now has a few gms were his timid. Where I come from that’s Bitnnnn up. Not a good sign. Get to the Freakin FT line. That’s how you break slumps of shooting.
I’ve said this since season started. It’s more obvious to me now. Starting Precious over Hart. Makes them a better team. The offense has to come from Brunson, KAT, Bridges. It gets Bridges going early. Gives him looks and shots. This is how you help him.
Then Precious helps Towns on D. And with the banging. This is a big team. That can still cover the perimeter. Hart as sixth man gives instant energy and scoring. Hart can still avg more mins than Precious. Getting Bridges going early. Is something the whole team should be focused on …..
To me Bridges is an issue now. We all know it took him longer to get going, comfortable. Yes new team and chemistry. Thunder game was atrocious. It’s as bad as bad can get. Ok they all got rocked. So we are going to single out his 0 points. To me he played scared. He failed in front of home crowd. I know he understands that. Then he comes back in a blowout of Bucks. And goes 2/5 in 37 mins. It’s like he’s still shell-shocked after Thunder gm.
I’m a big Bridges guy. I thought this was the year. He steps up to all NBA teams. At least be in conversation for third team. Not just his play here but also his attitude. Needs fixing. How could you not be UP for Thunder and Bucks at home. I’m starting to worry about him ………
Start going to the basket. Get to the FT line. Move around and stop waiting to shoot threes. Take your man off the dribble. Get some Knick mojo. Please
I don’t think Knicks can wait and depend on Mitch. A team that wants to tank. Can take Mitch and sit him, like Jazz. Then trade him next yr. IMO Knicks will make a trade this TD. Still say bench scoring is Knicks biggest need.
Bridges was probably the best player the Knicks could have gotten with the package they offered. I don’t think the same package gets a Booker or someone of that caliber. Knicks need more from the bench. I’m about done with Sims. Would Miami take Sims for Alec Burks? Salaries are close to the same.
Buried would be solid. If they don’t trade Mitch. Adding Burkes and TJ would help.
I would add Clarkson, if gettable, or Sexton.
Mitch’s availability is concerning. If not sure, we’ve got to make a trade and get a better bench.
TJ Warren can help.
Credit on Sims is also wearing out, though his rim protecting stats are elite, he needs to improve more in other aspects and assert himself as a true rotational piece to be a dependable rim protector in the playoffs.
I thought about trading for Bones Hyland and Kai Jones, both still young and that give scoring punch (Bones) and athleticism as a 5 (Kai Jones). I don’t know. They wouldn’t cost much