Mikal Bridges

Knicks Notes: Bridges, Towns, Dadiet, Robinson

December 2nd, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

For at least one night, Knicks forward Mikal Bridges eased concerns about his shooting, writes Barbara Barker of Newsday. After being benched in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game due to his poor performance, Bridges responded with 31 points Sunday against New Orleans while connecting at 12-of-19 from the field and 7-of-12 from three-point range. It was a welcome sign from Bridges, who has been mostly disappointing since being acquired from Brooklyn in an offseason trade.

“The way he was playing, he was confident and it was flowing. I love to see it,” Jalen Brunson said. “I was just reading the defense. When you leave someone open, the ball is bound to go in at some point. And once one goes in for him, the floodgates open. I’ve seen it before and I’m not too worried about him.”

The Knicks have won seven of their last nine games despite Bridges’ struggles, but they’ll eventually need consistent production from him to be legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference. Several teammates expressed support for Bridges following Friday’s game, saying he’s still in an adjustment phase after joining a new team where he’s no longer the primary scorer.

“We knew he had the confidence and our job was to continue to find him when he was open, and today he was great for us on both ends of the ball,’’ Josh Hart said. “He had great energy at the point of attack and as a defender. And made his shots. That’s our guy. We trust him. We trust him to shoot the shots. Mid-ranges, turnarounds. We want him to be aggressive. That’s the Mikal we know.”

There’s more from New York:

Karl-Anthony Towns saw a decline in his rebounding numbers while playing alongside Rudy Gobert in Minnesota, but he’s back to normal since being traded to New York and becoming a center again, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Towns had 19 boards on Sunday and is averaging a career-high 13.0 per game so far this season. “With Rudy, he played away from the basket a lot more,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s a terrific rebounder. Always been a terrific rebounder. He’s longer than you think, long arms, strong, really strong. Great anticipation. His experiences have helped him a lot, too.”
Pacome Dadiet was assigned to the G League over the weekend, and Thibodeau indicated that it might be a regular occurrence for the first-round pick, Bondy adds. Dadiet saw some rotation minutes earlier in the season, but there’s probably not a regular role for him with a healthy roster. “[It’s] situational,” Thibodeau said. “So there was an opportunity to get some playing time, take advantage of it that way. And he’ll be back with us for practice. The beauty of it is the setup, where we’re both practicing in the same building. So take advantage of it.”
James L. Edwards III and Fred Katz of The Athletic discuss several Knicks topics, including whether Bridges’ defense is a reason for concern, how Towns’ role will change when Mitchell Robinson returns from injury, Hart’s efficient shooting and why the team is having trouble against defenses that switch a lot.

Knicks’ Bridges After Fourth-Quarter Benching: I’ve ‘Got To Play Better’

November 30th, 2024 at 7:11am CST by Luke Adams

Knicks forward Mikal Bridges‘ early-season struggles continued on Friday as he recorded eight points on 3-of-10 shooting and was a team-worst -14 vs. Charlotte. Although he played 37 minutes, Bridges was benched for most of the fourth quarter — he was pulled with the Knicks down by four points and 8:25 remaining and checked back in for defensive purposes with 13 seconds left and New York up by four.

As Stefan Bondy of The New York Post writes, head coach Tom Thibodeau explained after the comeback victory that he went with Miles McBride over Bridges in crunch time because McBride was “fresh” and “making shots,” adding that the Knicks were “sort of in the mud.” Bridges called it the right decision.

“I got to play better. I’ve been inconsistent,” Bridges said. “I’ve had some games where I’ve played good, some I haven’t. Just got to find a rhythm within the team. That’s pretty much it. Not even 20 games in, still just trying to figure it out. … I had a lot of sloppy turnovers. Couple of times (where the opponent) scored on me getting into the middle. I’ll be better.”

Bridges leads the NBA in minutes played (38.1 MPG) through his first 19 outings, but has seen his production decline across the board. He’s averaging 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game and has career-worst shooting percentages of 30.6% on three-pointers and 61.5% on free throws. After getting to the foul line 4.1 times per game over the previous two seasons, he’s averaging just 0.7 attempts per night so far in 2024/25.

The Knicks acquired Bridges from Brooklyn over the summer by giving up a significant package of draft assets that included five first-round picks (four unprotected) and a pick swap. The return on that investment has been modest so far, but Bridges and his teammates remain confident that it’s just a matter of time until he finds his footing in New York.

“I’m not worried about (Bridges),” Knicks forward Josh Hart said after Friday’s game, per Bondy. “I think the media and people are killing him. He’s in a new situation. He’s in a situation where he’s played 19 games in a different role that he’s played the last four years. So it’s our job to get him going.

“And all the other BS about what we gave up, it means nothing. If we win, if we get a championship, ain’t nobody give a damn about how many picks we gave up. We could’ve given up 15 picks, it don’t matter. At the end of the day, we’re trying to win a championship. He’s going to be a key piece of that.”

Knicks Notes: Bridges, Payne, McBride, Defense, Thibodeau

November 24th, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Poor shooting has been an issue for Mikal Bridges ever since he joined the Knicks, and Saturday it kept him on the bench for almost the entire fourth quarter of a loss at Utah, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Bridges didn’t play in the game’s final 10 minutes after going 3-of-15 from the field and 1-of-7 from three-point range. It continued a difficult season in which he’s posting .469/.304/.636 shooting splits.

“Obviously I was struggling, but our biggest thing is to win,” Bridges said. “(Cameron Payne) came in and he was playing well. He was part of that team that was making that run. I was more just frustrated that I couldn’t be out there to help the team and frustrated that the first three quarters I was out there I couldn’t really do much. But yeah, I understand it. We’re trying to win a game, and that’s all I care about, so I think that was the right decision.”

Coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that he opted to keep Payne in the game because he brought energy to the team, particularly during a 17-0 run in the third quarter that nearly erased a big deficit. Payne wound up playing 31 minutes off the bench and finished with 11 points, six rebounds and five assists.

“I was just looking for anything that could get us going,” Thibodeau said. “And it wasn’t just Mikal. Cam I thought came in and he gave us a big spark. I almost went back to Jericho (Sims) at the end because I thought his minutes were good for us, as well. When you get down like we did, you’re just searching for anything to get you going. That’s really what we were doing.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

Miles McBride was updated to questionable on Saturday, but still missed his fifth straight game, Botte adds in a separate story. The team is now calling his injury “patella femoral syndrome,” which is more commonly known as “runner’s knee.” “He’s out,” Thibodeau said before the game. “He’s close. He’s doing more, but he’s not quite there. We’ll see where he is tomorrow.”
The Knicks were disappointed that their defense couldn’t save them on an overall poor shooting night, per Steve Popper of The New York Post. They built a strong defensive reputation last season, but haven’t been able to reach that same level so far. “We’ve been struggling on the defensive side for the whole season,” Josh Hart said. “When you’re not making shots and you’re not playing well defensively, that’s a recipe for disaster. We’ve got to figure it out on the defensive end. Offensively, we’ve got enough talent on the offensive side where, even if certain guys aren’t going that day, to play well and to win games. But we’ve got to figure it out defensively.”
Thibodeau has been a fiery coach throughout his career, but he’s never been ejected, according to James L. Edwards of the Athletic, who talks to several referees about what it’s like to deal with Thibodeau during a game.

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Bridges, Trades, McCullar

November 19th, 2024 at 5:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks forward OG Anunoby isn’t satisfied with his reputation as a lockdown defender. He’s more versatile than that, he told James Edwards III of The Athletic.

“I always prided myself on being a two-way player, not just a defender,” he said.

He’s backing up those words by averaging a career-best 17.4 points through 14 games this season. He’s shooting 50% from the field overall and 36.7% from deep. Fewer than half of his field goal attempts have come beyond the arc, so he’s not just a spot-up shooter.

“OG is a really good player,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He can shoot the ball, he can move without the ball and he’s good in transition. If you put a small guy on him, he can take him inside. He reads the game well. The awareness of where he is because of the shooting, but when he sees the back of his man’s head, he cuts and relocates extremely well. The constant movement by him is extremely good for us.”

We have more on the Knicks:

Mikal Bridges has begun to show why the Knicks were willing to give up a package of players and five future first-round picks to the Nets to acquire him. Bridges has scored 20 or more points in three of last four games. His contributions go far beyond that, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post points out. He blocked a potential game-tying shot by Brooklyn’s Dennis Schröder on Friday, then showed his stamina by playing 45 minutes in the rematch on Sunday and 35 more against Washington on Monday.
Given their financial constraints, it’s unlikely the Knicks will make a significant trade this season, Edwards opines in a mailbag for The Athletic. Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa seem to be the most likely trade candidates but both are injured right now and they’re probably the two best interior defenders on the roster, Edwards notes. A trade is more likely if they don’t start distancing themselves from most of the other teams in the East.
In the same story, Edwards reports that rookie two-way player Kevin McCullar is still rehabbing the knee injury he sustained at Kansas prior to the draft and will likely be out several months. McCullar, a 6’5” wing, was a late second-round selection and the Knicks took him with the knowledge that he probably wouldn’t contribute this season.

Knicks Notes: Hukporti, Towns, Dadiet, Bridges

November 17th, 2024 at 8:56am CST by Arthur Hill

For at least one night, rookie big man Ariel Hukporti looked like he could be part of the Knicks‘ rotation, writes Dan Martin of The New York Post. With Karl-Anthony Towns unavailable for Friday’s game against Brooklyn, Jericho Sims started at center but Hukporti had a bigger role, playing more than 30 minutes and scoring his first seven points to go with four rebounds and four blocks.

“His energy was amazing,’’ Josh Hart said. “He was a presence on screens, protecting the rim, rebounding the ball, deflections [and] running the court.”

There were few indications that Hukporti was ready for a breakout night. He had sat out three straight games and had only played eight total minutes in the past eight contests. He could become the rim-protecting center that the Knicks have lacked since Mitchell Robinson‘s injury, and his playing time will be worth monitoring once Towns returns.

“Now, the thing about a rookie is — for him — the hard thing is gonna be continuing to have the energy,’’ Hart added. “And not being complacent, which I don’t think he will. And we’re gonna hold him accountable. You guys saw just a glimpse of what he can do and he’s gonna have to build on that, but we’re excited with what he is. He’s gonna be big for us.”

There’s more from New York:

The Knicks are hoping Towns will be available for today’s rematch with the Nets, Martin adds in a separate story. He went through shootout and warm-ups before Friday’s game, but the medical staff decided to hold him out due to the effects of a knee contusion he suffered on Wednesday. Miles McBride could also return after missing Friday’s contest with a left knee injury.
First-round pick Pacome Dadiet scored five points in 12 minutes on Friday as injuries put him back in the rotation, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Appearing on the “Roommates” podcast hosted by his son, Jalen Brunson, assistant coach Rick Brunson said the team is willing to be patient with the rookie shooting guard. “If you take a young kid like [Dadiet], the guy we just drafted,” he said. “You take him. To me, you got to give him a window. A college window. Four to five years. You can’t give up on a kid who is going through his college years in the NBA.”
Mikal Bridges has gotten off to a rough start with the Knicks after being acquired in an offseason trade that sent five first-round picks to Brooklyn, but it’s still too early to make a judgment on the deal, Bondy contends in another piece.

Atlantic Notes: Maxey, Raptors, Bridges, Celtics

November 15th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, who is recovering from a right hamstring strain, has resumed on-court work and will be reevaluated early next week, the team announced today (Twitter link via Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer).

When Maxey’s hamstring injury was confirmed last Thursday, the team said he’d be reevaluated in one week, while reporting from Shams Charania of ESPN indicated he would likely be sidelined for approximately two weeks. Based on the latest update from the Sixers, it sounds like Maxey is still on track to meet that timeline, though we’ll have to wait to see how next week’s evaluation goes.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Even after holding Milwaukee to 99 points on Tuesday, the Raptors rank 28th in the NBA with a 118.4 defensive rating. As Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes, the team will need to clean things up on that side of the ball in order to be competitive and seemingly has the personnel to improve its performance. According to Grange, two keys for the Raptors will be reducing their foul rate and their turnover rate. They rank dead last in the league with 24.4 fouls per game and are 29th in opponents’ points off turnovers (23.2 per game).
Knicks forward Mikal Bridges is looking forward to facing his old team, the Nets, on Friday for the first time since being traded from Brooklyn to New York over the summer. “I think it’ll be good to see my guys,” Bridges said, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “I have a lot of good friends over there, even the coaching staff that’s there, all the way up to (general manager) Sean Marks and (assistant GM) Andy (Birdsong). I’m real close with a lot of those guys, so it will be good to see them.” As Braziller observes, the 5-6 Knicks are just a half-game ahead of the 5-7 Nets in the standings so far, with Bridges (15.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, .304 3PT%) off to a relatively quiet start.
In a mailbag for MassLive.com, Brian Robb discusses Xavier Tillman‘s early-season struggles and explains why a reunion with former Boston center Robert Williams isn’t a viable trade option, among other Celtics-related topics.

Knicks Notes: Giannis, Brunson, Kolek, Ryan

November 8th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Giannis Antetokounmpo will get even more attention than usual when the Bucks visit Madison Square Garden tonight, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Amid leaguewide speculation that Antetokounmpo could eventually be put on the trade market, Marc Stein recently listed the Knicks as a possible destination.

Bondy is skeptical that the organization still has the assets to make a competitive offer for Antetokounmpo after two massive offseason deals to acquire Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. New York parted with most of the draft assets it had been saving up, and Bondy believes the team would be easily outbid by Oklahoma City, Houston or San Antonio if Antetokounmpo were to become available.

Bondy states that the immediate concern is finding a way to make the current roster more effective following the offseason shakeup. The Knicks are off to a 3-4 start and don’t seem to have the same cohesion as last season’s team.

“I think we’re still figuring it out,” Bridges said. “Offensively, defensively, we still got to figure it out. Like I said, it’s early. So we just need more time. And we’ll figure it out.”

There’s more from New York:

Even with the additions of Bridges and Towns, opposing teams continue to focus their defense on stopping Jalen Brunson, observes Steve Popper of Newsday. Until the Knicks figure out how to counter that strategy, they’ll keep having disappointing losses like the one Wednesday in Atlanta, Popper adds. “[Wednesday night], including myself, we came out sluggish and we can’t allow that to happen,” Towns said. “We can’t allow that to happen. We’ve got to impose our will. We’ve got to play New York Knicks basketball right from the giddy-up. We can’t just ease into the game. Yeah, this one’s going to hurt.”
Tyler Kolek hasn’t cracked the Knicks’ rotation yet, but he already has a high-profile fan, per Ben Steele of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The rookie guard out of Marquette has impressed broadcaster and team legend Walt Frazier with his aggressive style of play. “Tyler is a real team player, a pass-first guard that I really like,” Frazier said. ” And he has a great mentor in Jalen Brunson.”
Vic Quirolo, who coached Matt Ryan in high school in the New York area, told Adam Zagoria of NJ.com that the newly signed small forward is one of the best shooters he has ever seen. Quirolo speculates that Ryan could eventually become the outside threat the Knicks lost when they sent Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota in the Towns deal.

Knicks Notes: Towns, Bridges, Hart, Robinson

October 26th, 2024 at 8:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Playing his first home game at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, Karl-Anthony Towns looked to be well worth the price the Knicks paid to acquire him from Minnesota, writes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. Towns was the centerpiece of the offense as New York dismantled Indiana by 25 points. He finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks, a steal and 10 free-throw attempts while appearing comfortable operating under coach Tom Thibodeau’s system once again.

“I just always want to impose a lot of energy into the game and amplify my teammates,” Towns said, “and I thought that was a good opportunity [with the dunk] to get some energy instilled to us — and the crowd obviously was bringing a lot of energy.”

The Knicks were successful with Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein in the middle last season, but they haven’t had a center who can score like Towns for a long time. Jalen Brunson is excited about the potential for the offense as team chemistry continues to improve.

“I’m learning a lot,” Brunson said of playing with Towns. “He has so much gravity on the floor when he’s out there. People have to respect that. Obviously, he’s one of the best shooters in the league.”

There’s more from New York:

Mikal Bridges seems to have calmed any fears about his jump shot, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. There were concerns about Bridges’ shooting mechanics heading into the season, but he went 8-of-12 from the field on Friday and scored 21 points. “No one is gonna shoot great for 82 games,” Thibodeau said. “Oftentimes, you’re in preseason and just trying to work through things and get in a rhythm, and you’re trying to figure out a new system and new teammates. And each day, that gets better and better. But if you think logically, this guy has shot almost 38% from three for his career. Me, I’d bet on that.”
The Knicks displayed resiliency after getting blown out by Boston on opening night, notes Chris Herring of ESPN. The defense was much more aggressive, forcing a rare scoreless night by Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. “Whenever you get your butt kicked on national TV in the NBA, it means you have to step it up,” Josh Hart said.
A source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post that Robinson is still expected to return from ankle surgery in December or January, but that timetable could change. Robinson hasn’t talked to reporters since undergoing the operation in May, but he updated his condition Thursday in a livestream video on social media. “You seen what happened when I rushed to come back? I was back out,” Robinson said. “At this point, I gotta make sure I’m good for life, too. C’mon, now. Let’s not be selfish here. … But we’re going to be good. We’re going to be all right. We’re going to be okay. Promise you, we’re going to be straight.”

Atlantic Notes: Bridges, Towns, Tatum, Thomas, Shead

October 23rd, 2024 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Neither of the Knicks‘ two major offseason acquisitions got off to the sort of start they were hoping for this season on Tuesday night in Boston.

While Mikal Bridges salvaged his night to some extent by making 7-of-8 shots for 16 points in the second half, he went scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting in the first two quarters, didn’t grab a single rebound in his 35 minutes on the court, and was a team-worst minus-33 in his Knicks debut, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Bridges also admitted he wasn’t at his best defensively against Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, who poured in 37 points.

“I definitely could have done better. I think my performance at the defensive end wasn’t that (good) for me personally, as well as our team,” Bridges said. “Me personally, I think I just could have been better, especially (against) a guy getting it and having that rhythm from the three, just getting up a little bit more (on Tatum).”

Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns had a relatively quiet night in his first game as a Knick, scoring 12 points and recording seven rebounds. The Celtics also frequently targeted him in screening actions, as Botte writes in a separate New York Post story. Like Bridges, Towns didn’t express concern about New York’s offense, but said the defense needs to be better.

“I just think that we just didn’t do enough defensively to give ourselves a chance to win the game,” the four-time All-Star said. “We’ve just gotta do a better job of executing on that end. Our defensive identity is what’s gonna give us a chance to do something great. Offensively, I think we showed tonight we can score, we’ve just gotta play defense.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Ahead of Tuesday’s regular season opener, Tatum spoke to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about what it means to have won his first title and why he believes the Celtics are well positioned to win another championship.
None of the three Nets players eligible for rookie scale extensions signed a new contract before Monday’s deadline, but that was expected, since Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams have played limited roles in their first three NBA seasons and extending Cam Thomas would’ve eaten into Brooklyn’s projected 2025 cap room. As Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays, Thomas said on Tuesday he’s not bothered by not having completed a deal, while head coach Jordi Fernandez told reporters he didn’t feel the need to discuss the guard’s contract situation with him. “Yeah, conversations have been great. I think he’s in a good place, and I didn’t see anything that I should go and talk to him about it, the way he feels,” Fernandez said. “I think he’s been great. He’s done his job, and we have a clear path and direction for what we’re trying to do.”
In an in-depth feature for Sportsnet.ca, Blake Murphy takes a closer look at what the Raptors are getting in Jamal Shead, a “high-IQ, high-motor” rookie guard who may have been overlooked this offseason as the third of four players selected by Toronto in the 2024 draft. “Jamal actually should have gone in the first round,” Kelvin Sampson, Shead’s former coach at Houston, said of the No. 45 pick. “There’s such an undervaluing of the things that he does well. … If you’re a coach, you want Jamal. All he does is win.”

Extension Notes: Kuminga, Kispert, Johnson, Gordon, Bridges

October 22nd, 2024 at 9:05am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Warriors think Jonathan Kuminga has All-Star potential, they weren’t willing to sign him at this time to the kind of long-term rookie scale extension he was seeking without a more concrete belief that he’ll reach that level, writes Monte Poole of NBC Bay Area.

As Poole explains, no one on Golden State’s roster besides Stephen Curry is making $30MM+ per year and Kuminga was seeking a deal that was worth “well beyond that amount.” While the Warriors aren’t opposed to making that sort of commitment to the fourth-year forward, they want to see more from him this season before signing off on such a significant contract.

“He took a leap last season,” one source told Poole. “They want to see another one before they make that investment. He’s still under their control. If Kuminga has a strong season, I know they’ll take care of him.”

Without a rookie scale extension in place, Kuminga will be a restricted free agent in 2025, giving the Warriors the right to match any offer sheet he signs with a new team.

Here are a few more notes from around the NBA on the contract extensions that did and didn’t get done on Monday:

Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link) provides the year-by-year breakdown of Corey Kispert‘s four-year, $54MM+ extension with the Wizards, which will be worth $13.975MM in each of the first two years, then $13.05MM in years three and four. As previously reported, the final year is a team option.
Jalen Johnson‘s five-year, $150MM extension with the Hawks will have a flat structure, with $30MM annual cap hits, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
As part of his extension with the Nuggets, Aaron Gordon picked up his $22.84MM option for 2025/26 rather than turning it down and getting a 40% raise (to $31.98MM) for that season. The Nuggets will be subject to the repeater tax and increasing tax rates next season, so the structure of the deal will allow them to save a projected $60MM in tax penalties for ’25/26, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
Tony Jones and Sam Amick of The Athletic take a closer look at the impact of the Gordon extension, with Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth weighing in on why the team felt the need to get a deal done: “In many ways, Aaron is the heart and soul of the team. He does a lot of things on the floor that makes us go. The guys rally around him in the locker room, and now with this agreement, we can move forward as a unit. We are built as a team to go deep into the playoffs.”
The Knicks made the best extension offer they could to Mikal Bridges prior to Monday’s deadline, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, New York was capped at approximately $61MM over two years due to extend-and-trade restrictions, whereas the team will be able to offer about $156MM over four years next offseason, so Bridges was always expected to hold off on a new deal.
Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) takes a look at what’s next for some of the top players who didn’t sign rookie scale extensions by Monday’s deadline, including Kuminga and Bulls guard Josh Giddey, as well as highlighting a few of the notable veterans who remain eligible to sign extensions during the season, like Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.

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