When the New York Knicks traded for Mikal Bridges, they wagered a majority of their future assets on his ability to be a complementary star next to Jalen Brunson and company.
What they didn’t account for was the seventh-year forward altering his jump shot. Bridges added a hitch to his three-point jumper, and in his first game with the Knicks, shot 2-for-7 from behind-the-arc in a blowout loss.
Fans had seen enough, ready to write off the 38% career three-point shooter. Then the Knicks turned it around in their home opener, routing the Indiana Pacers 123-108 in a game they led by as many as 30.
Bridges finished with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor, and 2-of-3 shooting from three. As he told reporters postgame, he never lost confidence in his ability to shoot the ball.
“I’m always confident,” Bridges said on October 25, according to SNY’s Ian Begley. “That’s for other people to worry about.”
Bridges matched his shooting touch with defensive prowess, helping New York rout the team that ended their postseason run last year. It appears any concerns over his shot were misplaced. Bridges and the Knicks are back on track.
Mikal Bridges: ‘We’re All Talented’
New York’s win over Indiana was a complete game for the tea all around, with all five starters scoring in double digits and four of them reaching 20 or more points.
Bridges talked about the talent-level of the team and how some nights will be less about one player and more about the team.
“We’re all talented,” Bridges continued. “We all try to make the right read,” Bridges said. “Sometimes one guy might have the mismatch the whole game and might attack that. I think none of us really care about that. I think we’re just trying to win and play together on both ends.”
Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns represent two new starters on the Knicks, and there’s an adjustment period to be expected. But after a game where the offense was fluid and the defense was lockdown, there’s reason to be optimistic.
Jalen Brunson: ‘A Step in the Right Direction’
Brunson, who was named New York’s captain before the season, told Hahn postgame that the win over Indiana is a step in the right direction for the Knicks.
“I mean, if you want it to be,” Brunson told Hahn on October 25. “I’ll just say this. For us to come back after that and turn the page, we have to continue to get better every day. This is a step in the right direction for us.”
In looking back at the loss to the Celtics, Brunson said New York failed to match the energy of the reigning champs.
“Boston came out with the energy that we just didn’t match and it’s unacceptable,” Brunson told reporters at his postgame press conference. “Today, we just knew that we had to pick it up. We had to turn the page and be better. I feel like we did that tonight, so that’s something we can grow off of.”
The Knicks point guard finished with 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in the routing of Indiana. As he continues to adjust to his newly assembled supporting cast, performances like that should be come a constant for New York.
Next, the Knicks will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 28. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm EST.
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