Mikal Bridges did not play a single second of the fourth quarter in the New York Knicks’ win over the Brooklyn Nets. It was not the first time this season he’s been benched during the final frame.
And if he doesn’t start getting out in transition more often or cutting to the basket harder, it most certainly won’t be the last.
Mike Brown confirmed as much while speaking with the media. Asked about pulling Bridges for the final 15-plus minutes of Monday’s game, New York’s head honcho said Mikal “has to hang his hat on” his running and cutting.
That isn’t happening right now. And while Bridges has slogged through these ruts before, he’s arguably never been further away from the player he needs to be on the offensive end.
Mikal Bridges isn’t doing what makes him special anymore
Waves of attention are being paid to Bridge’ rickety outside shooting. After going 0-of-2 from deep against the Nets, he’s down to a 26.9 percent clip on triples on the season. To make matters worse, this dip in efficiency coincides with a downtick in volume. Bridges is currently averaging slightly fewer three-point attempts per 36 minutes than last year.
Jump shots are inherently high variance, though. You expect stretches like this. Running and cutting and rim pressure are different stories. It’s one thing if your efficiency is down. It’s more concerning when your volume plunges. That suggests something is materially wrong.
Bridges is schlepping through those waters right now. Just 17.8 percent of his shots are coming at the basket. Even for someone who catches a ton of flak for fading away from the rim, this share would by far and away be the lowest of his career.
This decline in volume at the hoop is no doubt related to Bridges’ transition offense. Or rather, his lack of transition offense. Last year, 24.7 percent of his possessions came on the break—the highest mark on the team. This season, he has finished fewer than 10 total possessions in transition.
On the occasions in which Bridges does run or cut, his efficiency isn’t doing him any favors. His 62 percent clip at the rim is 13 points lower than last season. Entering Monday, he had a 40.4 true shooting percentage on “finishing” possessions. That’s more than 16 points below the league average, and more than 25 points below last year’s mark of 66.5.
Tough love is Mike Brown’s only Mikal Bridges option
Some corners of the Knicks fanbase are already calling for Bridges to get traded. It’s not happening. It’s still early, and his defense remains critical to New York’s success.
At the same time, the Knicks can’t afford to let Bridges wander through the wilderness without repercussions. It would be one thing if their offense was otherwise humming. It’s not. Relative to what we’ve come to expect, it’s in shambles.
Jalen Brunson is still working through his own shooting slump. OG Anunoby has not hit his threes consistently, and is at times having his own identity crisis. The team as a whole ranks in the bottom five of effective field-goal percentage.
New York’s margin for error doesn’t exist right now. And though Bridges isn’t the only one responsible for their rocky start, the Knicks’ offensive rating is nosediving by 34 points with him on the floor. That’s the largest reverse-swing on the team by a comically large margin.
Forget about simply making more shots. That's important, but Bridges' overall approach to offense is just as, if not more, critical. Until he rediscovers the motor and style that makes him special, the Knicks can't guarantee him minutes when it matters most.
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