Mikal Bridges is not known for his rim pressure. But he used to be. And in this version of the New York Knicks offense, he just might be again.
This comes across as wishful thinking on its face. Just 23.2 percent of Bridges shot attempts came inside five feet last year, the second lowest share of his career. He has not cracked a 30 percent share near the hoop since 2021-22. His highest mark came in 2019-20, as a sophomore, when over 42 percent of his looks came inside five feet.
The Mikal Bridges we are watching now isn’t that player from a half-decade ago. He attempted fewer than 500 shots as a sophomore, and generally wasn’t operating on-ball. He has averaged nearly 1,250 field-goal attempts per season over the past three years, all while spending less time off-ball.
That volume isn’t going anywhere. And even as Mike Brown overhauls the Knicks offense, he’s not going to be displacing Bridges entirely away from the ball. Heck, his on-ball reps are arguably more important than ever given the state of the backup point guard situation.
Still, we have indicators that Bridges’ shot profile is about to change.
Mikal Bridges is already generating more rim pressure
Nearly 36 percent of Bridges’ preseason shot attempts came inside five feet, an absolutely massive share compared to last year. This doesn’t necessarily portend a new normal, but a handful of things stand out.
First and foremost, Brown has the offense playing at a faster clip. The core units are getting out on the break more as a result. This creates extra opportunities for Bridges at the rim on the run by default.
Brown also has the Knicks moving more away from the ball. Bridges’ can be seen cutting in more from the corner and even above the break during certain stretches. These looks could be eminently available to him when New York deploys its five-out lineups.
Finally, and perhaps most critically, Bridges is getting deeper into the paint on his drives. It helps that the Knicks have him attacking against more tilted defenses, because they’re playing faster. Even coming around ball screens, though, he’s getting two feet deep into the paint.
This could be a huge development for the Knicks
You can see the difference in Bridges’ shot profile. Only two of his attempts in preseason came on two-pointers outside the paint, or 4.7 percent of his total volume. Last year, that number hovered around 18.2 percent.
If Bridges is able to keep this up, or at least rival it, the Knicks are going to be better off. Not only are looks at the rim typically higher quality, but they lead to more free throws, another area in which he could stand to improve.
Most importantly, if Bridges is getting to the basket more, it is a larger referendum on the offense under Brown. It suggests that the speed is up, the spacing and movement are better, and above all, that the New York is fully optimizing itself—and more dangerous than ever.