The Knicks' offseason is here in full force. Trade rumors are swirling, their coaching search is the talk of the basketball world, even as the NBA Finals are heading into Game 4, and free agent wishlists are being filled out by fans. Without speculating what the Knicks' roster will look like come opening night, there is one thing for certain: the Knicks will need more tenacity out of Mikal Bridges next season if they intend on competing for a title.
It wasn't that Bridges had a bad season for the Knicks by any means. In fact, it is hard to put an exact word that accurately sums up his first season in New York. The regular season was a bit underwhelming, while the playoffs were inconsistent.
The season and postseason weren't without big moments for Bridges. There was his buzzer-beater 3-pointer against the Portland Trailblazers to secure an overtime win, his heroic game-sealing steals against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the second round of the playoffs, and flurries of fourth-quarter shot-making.
Yet, there were too many moments in between where Bridges did not seem like the tenacious defender that New York traded all of those first-round picks for, or the player who could carry an offense when Jalen Brunson was on the bench.
Point of attack defense.
I hesitate to call a player "soft", but it often feels like Bridges lacks an edge to him that is needed to be a truly elite point of attack defender.
There were certainly glimpses of it. Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals is a great example. Bridges guarded Tyrese Haliburton most of the game, often picking him up full court and effectively limiting his impact on the game.
Most of the time, though, Bridges struggles to fight over the top of screens, which ultimately allows the offensive player to easily turn the corner and attack the heart of New York's defense.
Finishing
Another area that the Knicks need Bridges to show more aggression is in his finishing at the rim. Bridges stands six feet and six inches tall, yet he only dunked the ball 28 times all season. Far more frequently, Bridges chooses to lay the ball up nonchalantly, exposing himself to chase-down blocks, which we saw multiple times, specifically in the playoffs.
Bridges had 10 layups blocked during the Knicks' three playoff series, many of which could have been easy dunks had Bridges chosen to. If the Knicks want to take the next step, Bridges will undoubtedly play an extremely important role. But to do that, he can not shy away from contact on either end of the court.