The New York Knicks have been rebranded as the Nova Knicks this season. The new-look squad has emerged as an Eastern Conference contender, led by star point guard Jalen Brunson and supporting wings Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo.
However, a lone Wildcat has not enjoyed the same team success across the river in Mikal Bridges. The Brooklyn Nets have suffered through a miserable 2023-24 campaign, posting the NBA's eighth-worst record (26-45). They've lost three straight to their crosstown rival, the last of which was a 105-93 defeat at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
Hart, who has not passed up an opportunity to poke fun at the Nets' woes this season, trolled Bridges with a Spongebob meme comparison after the Knicks win.
“It's like that SpongeBob meme when Squidward is looking out the window and he sees SpongeBob and Patrick having fun,” Hart told the New York Daily News' Kristian Winfield. “[Mikal] is Squidward.”
Bridges responded to his former teammate's comments on Monday.
“Yeah, Josh plays too much,” he said. “Just know he’s a goof, man. He just plays around all the time. He says a lot of crazy stuff”
The Nets forward said that playing in the same city as his former teammates has brought them closer, adding an interesting wrinkle to the Knicks-Nets rivalry.
“Honestly, we were close, but the league happens and you're all over the place in different situations,” Bridges said. “But I think this whole situation and us both bringing in New York kind of brought us back to each other and closer… I think them being Knicks and me being in Brooklyn, it kind of just sparked our friendship even more a little bit.”
“That's why all the jokes are hilarious,” Bridges continued. “Everybody's talking about the Knicks and stuff and I'm just like, ‘Bro, y'all don't know Josh.' You know it's Josh. Jalen's not saying anything, it's just Josh. So just know that's Josh, that's just who he is.
“He's gonna say jokes like that and he knows he's gonna get everyone riled up,” Bridges concluded. “He knows gonna get his fans riled up, he knows he's gonna get Brooklyn fans riled up. That man is just hilarious.”
During Mikal Bridges’ media session ahead of tonight's game in Toronto, our @Meghan_Triplett asked him about some of his friends in the NBA & how Brooklyn can avoid a repeat of its previous visit to the Raptors, a loss right after the All-Star break. #NETSonYES pic.twitter.com/4fcHrSmu7I
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) March 25, 2024
Hart stays trolling Bridges
Hart also trolled Bridges during an episode of the Roommates Show with Jalen Brunson earlier this season. When Bridges was asked if he gets “FOMO” seeing his Nova teammates' success with New York, Hart immediately removed his hoodie, exposing a Knicks shirt. He and Brunson also commented on Knicks fans taking over Barclays Center during the two teams' matchup in January.
As he did during his postgame interview following the Nets home loss, Bridges admitted the disparity in the crowd, saying, “It wasn't fun.”
While Bridges insists the joking is all in good fun, it underscores the stark contrast in the atmosphere surrounding the two franchises. With the playoffs approaching, the Knicks sit a half-game back of the East's third seed while the Nets appear lottery-bound. As expected, Brooklyn fans have not taken kindly to the jabs or Bridges' mild-mannered responses.
The Knicks and Nets will face off in their final matchup of the season on April 12 at Madison Square Garden.
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