Mikal Bridges spent his first 87 games of the 2025-26 season hearing an endless stream of criticism. More than a year after the controversial trade that brought him to the New York Knicks, many are still struggling to move on and accept what he offers on the court.
If the past three outings are a sign of things to come, then said criticism can stop where it is and the praise for his undeniable value to the Knicks' legitimate championship dreams can begin.
Bridges began the 2026 NBA Playoffs in a poor run of form that continued an unfortunately troubling trend from the regular season. He'd averaged 10.6 points on .447/.315/.818 shooting over his final 21 regular season appearances and checked in at 7.2 points on .438/.267/1.000 shooting during his first five postseason performances.
Over the past three games, however, Bridges has looked the part of the tremendous two-way player the Knicks know he can be.
Bridges posted 24 points, five rebounds, three assists, and a block in 27 minutes during the Knicks' Game 6 blowout of the Atlanta Hawks that sent them to the second round. He then tallied 17 points, five assists, two rebounds, and a steal in 27 minutes as the Knicks blew the Philadelphia 76ers out in Game 1 of their Round 2 series.
Not to be mistaken with a flash in the pan, Bridges continued his run of success during Game 2—and it's fair to believe he can sustain his success.
Mikal Bridges is making winning plays for Knicks on both ends of the floor
Bridges was tremendous during Game 2 against the 76ers, posting 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field. He attacked the basket, made plays above the rim, and was lights out on defense across 38 essential minutes played.
Between his tough shot-making and his sensational defense against Tyrese Maxey, Bridges played a definitive role in New York's win. Jalen Brunson acknowledged it directly.
"For him, what's been the most consistent is his routine every day, doing the things he has to do to make sure he's ready to go"
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 7, 2026
Jalen Brunson talks about Mikal Bridges' shot-making and defense on Tyrese Maxey: pic.twitter.com/RHvVEXN4HT
Bridges hasn't just played well in isolation defense, but prevented Maxey from even getting the ball in his preferred spots. That resulted in the two-time All-Star shooting 9-of-23 from the field and committing six turnovers in Game 2—after he went 3-of-9 with four turnovers in Game 1.
Bridges deserves ample credit for his role in the Knicks' success against Maxey, and in turn, the team's overall ability to jump out to a 2-0 series lead.
Critics may never truly come around on the Bridges trade, but performances of this nature prove why he was worth the gamble. He's not only excelling on both ends of the floor, but creating opportunities for his teammates to play under less defensive pressure.
A 2-0 series lead certainly isn't enough to call the Knicks' postseason a success, but if Bridges keeps this up, critics will have to work overtime to find valid reasons for criticism.
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