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The New York Knicks are desperately in search of answers after dropping both home games to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, and Mikal Bridges made it clear — the starters are part of the problem. As reported by Jared Schwartz of the New York Post, Bridges didn’t hold back when asked about the team’s slow starts.
“We’re playing a little too soft in the beginning of halves.”
He’s not wrong. The Knicks starters are struggling, opening Game 2 down 19-11 before the bench completely shifted the momentum. Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride entered and sparked a 15-5 run to close the first quarter, flipping the game’s tone.
Despite that surge, Tom Thibodeau’s lineup decisions remained unchanged after halftime — and the starters again surrendered the lead, allowing Indiana to regain control.
Robinson was a clear difference-maker through his energy, rebounding, and paint protection. He posted a +6 plus-minus, providing much-needed stability inside. Yet Thibodeau’s continued trust in his core five cost the team another crucial stretch — and potentially the series.
Bridges wasn’t just venting frustration. His Knicks comments reflect a team that’s fully aware of its flaws but has yet to make meaningful adjustments. The bench continues to outperform the starters — and everyone sees it.
This marks the Knicks’ first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since the turn of the century, raising expectations for a deeper playoff run this season.
Now heading to Indiana down 0-2, New York faces a Pacers team with all the momentum. While Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns have delivered offensively, it hasn’t been enough. The first two games of this series have shown that until the starting lineup can generate stops and start consistently scoring, the Knicks will remain in survival mode.
With the franchise’s best season in over 25 years on the line, Thibodeau must decide whether to stay stubborn — or adapt to what’s actually working.
