The New York Knicks have long been vindicated for their blockbusting Mikal Bridges trade. It was certainly a bold move to surrender five first round picks to the Brooklyn Nets, but the two-way wing is building up a priceless resume in the Big Apple.
Bridges guarded Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, Donovan Mitchell, and James Harden over the Knicks' first three playoff series. It was those exact contributions that unlocked his next task: guarding the San Antonio Spurs' deadly guard trio of De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper.
Two of those three guards, however, are relatively inexperienced at the NBA level. Castle and Harper certainly won't be forever young. But, while they're still cutting their teeth, getting to guard them in the 2026 NBA Finals is a can't-miss opportunity for Bridges to force turnovers, help the Knicks control the possession battle, and potentially control the pace of the series.
Bridges can swing NBA Finals by wreaking havoc on Spurs' young guards
Winning the possession battle has been key to the Knicks' playoff identity over the last several seasons. In 2023 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York rode Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson's dominance of the offensive glass to the second round.
That same kind of play is going to be necessary on a stage as large as the NBA Finals, but especially against a superstar with physical advantages like the 7-foot-5 center leading the Spurs' efforts in Wembanyama.
The Knicks won't be able to grow any of their players to the Frenchman's height by Wednesday night; they can only hope to make things as difficult as possible for him over the course of each game, and the course of the series.
Bridges' defense on the Slash Brothers — Fox, Castle, and Harper — will be essential to that approach. While the coverage won't directly make things harder on Wembanyama himself, its effects will trickle down quickly.
Without his usual release valves, the Spurs' center will need to create more and more of the team's offense on his own. That's when the versatility of someone like OG Anunoby comes into play, with his switchability and strong frame enabling him to help bigs like Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
Mike Brown knows Fox's game well from their time together on the Sacramento Kings, when the two pushed the reigning champion Golden State Warriors to a seven-game first round series. Now, the two are all set to face off on opposite sides of the league's biggest stage. And they each have big-time backup on their side.
Brown's hounding perimeter defender, in Bridges, is ready to guard whoever he needs to, if it helps the Knicks win. And Fox's starting center towers over every player that Brown has to throw his way. No team will ever prove fully capable of shutting Wembanyama down.
New York, however, can make things as difficult as possible for him. That starts with limiting his supporting cast, something Bridges was built to do for these Knicks.
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