Mikal Bridges has scored fewer than 10 points in three of the four games during the 2026 NBA Finals. Based on how he’s been criticized in the past, one would think that he’d be on the receiving end of a barrage of insults and ridicule. Instead, he’s the San Antonio Spurs’ worst nightmare.
For as quiet as Bridges has been on offense during the 2026 NBA Finals, his defense and unselfishness have disrupted the Spurs’ rhythm in ways they haven’t yet been able to overcome.
Bridges has played lockdown defense throughout the 2026 NBA Finals. That’s no small feat when one considers that he’s spent considerable time guarding all of Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Devin Vassell.
Despite the quality of his opponents, Bridges has provided endless reminders of how criminally underrated he’s become on the defensive end of the floor.
Mikal Bridges is locking Spurs’ perimeter players down
Through four games, Fox has scored two points on 1-of-8 shooting from the field when Bridges has been the primary defender. Vassell hasn’t been any better, converting just one of his four attempts against the Knicks' defensive ace.
Castle and Harper haven't been safe from Bridges’ defensive excellence themselves, as the former is shooting 3-of-9 and the latter is 4-of-12.
It’s a continuation of what’s become a statement of a postseason. James Harden, for instance, shot 3-of-17 against Bridges. Tyrese Maxey shot an acceptable 7-of-16 overall, but went 0-of-5 on three-point field goals.
Forged by the fire of early postseason trouble against the Atlanta Hawks, Bridges has become the ultimate wing stopper for New York.
Mikal Bridges has epitomized Knicks’ unselfish culture
The result of Bridges’ defensive excellence has been his emergence as a momentum-swinging player in the NBA Finals. Thus far, the Knicks are outscoring the Spurs by 9.7 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court.
One would think that Bridges would react to such a truth by demanding minutes. In the immortal words of Lee Corso: Not so fast, my friend.
Bridges has readily gone to the bench when a teammate has had the hot hand and, in that specific moment, gives the team a better chance of winning. Whether it’s been Jose Alvarado or Landry Shamet, Bridges has happily cleared a path for their success instead of demanding more minutes.
At a time when egos could play a factor, Bridges has simply stepped back onto the court when his number has been called and continued to lock down some of the Spurs’ best players.
It’s been a nightmare for San Antonio to deal with and a dream come true for New York.
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