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The New York Knicks bet the farm on Mikal Bridges being the missing piece to their championship hopes. That move looked like a losing proposition throughout the regular season. Bridges' start to the playoffs hasn't changed that sentiment.
The forward, acquired from the Brooklyn Nets for five first-round picks last summer, was benched down the stretch of a Game 1 victory over the Detroit Pistons. He was the only Knick to post a negative box-plus-minus during the win, finishing a minus-16. Despite this, Tom Thibodeau turned to Bridges in the final minutes of a tightly-contested Game 2.
Again, he came up short.
With the Knicks attempting to mount a comeback, Bridges shot 0-of-4 from the field and 0-of-3 from three in the final four minutes of a 100-94 loss. Each attempt offered an opportunity to swing momentum in New York's favor. The last was the most consequential.
Following a stop, the Knicks had the ball down three with 16 seconds remaining. Jalen Brunson, who had scored 37 points while carrying a massive load, crossed over and drove before finding a relocating Bridges at the top of the key. Bridges elevated and released a wide-open three, which clanked off the front rim, sealing the Detroit win.
Mikal Bridges, fans react to fourth quarter struggles in Knicks' Game 2 loss
The Knicks forward said he thought the shot was “cash” when it left his hand.
“You want to win the game. You want to make that shot. It sucks, but ain’t nothing I can do about it. Got to get ready for the next one,” Bridges said, via SNY.
Following the letdown performance, Knicks fans on X were quick to point out the five first-round picks their team gave up for Bridges, a price that was considered an overpay at the time of the trade.
Fair or not, the five-first-round-pick label will follow Bridges throughout his Knicks tenure. Following the trade, New York is left with little flexibility to make wholesale changes.
The Knicks have one tradable first-round pick remaining, the Washington Wizards' 2026 selection. However, it is top-eight protected and will convert to two seconds if it does not convey next June. New York can also trade swaps on its 2026 and 2030 first-round picks.
However, the team's most realistic route to salvaging its championship window is for Bridges to play better. The Villanova product will enter the final year of his contract next season. He will be eligible for a four-year, $156 million extension this summer.
