Heading into his debut season with the New York Knicks in 2024-25, Mikal Bridges gave fans quite a fright with his seemingly re-worked shooting form.
What resulted from this glaring tweak in mechanics was a regression in his efficiency and dependability in the long-range shooting department, as he recorded the second-worst percentage of his career at 35.4. Naturally, this left many fans fearing that his days being known as one of the elite 3&D studs could be in jeopardy.
Fast forward a year later, however, and it seems that not only is this once-fading skill set back to a place of respectability, but, through seven games played, it's currently setting the mark for Bridges' all-time high.
Knicks breathe sigh of relief as Mikal Bridges finds three-point groove
While it may still be early, all signs seem to suggest Bridges is back to his old habits from beyond the arc. In 34.5 minutes a night, the eighth-year pro is cashing in on a career-best 48.6 percent of his three-point attempts, ranking number one on the Knicks.
Along with these percentages, Bridges also finds himself absolutely stuffing the rest of the stat sheet by posting 16.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.0 blocks a night.
Clearly, it seems the forward is one of the main beneficiaries of new head coach Mike Brown's perimeter-oriented, catch-and-shoot-heavy offensive system.
As a whole, New York has upped their numbers from last season in three-point attempts (third in NBA at 43.9 compared to 27 at 34.1) and catch-and-shoot volume (second-best at 34.4 attempts per game compared to 27 at 24.9).
The results have been encouraging from a team-wide perspective, but especially when looking at Bridges' individual production, as he's not only converting at an all-time best clip on regular long-range attempts, but is boasting an elite 72.7 effective field goal percentage and a 48.5 three-point percentage when shooting off the catch.
In the summer of 2024, the Knicks coughed up the rights to a whopping six first-round picks in the exchange that landed them Bridges from the Nets. Following his first year in the orange and blue, some had already written the deal off as an absolute heist by Brooklyn.
Now, a full season later, it seems people are beginning to sing a much different tune about the veteran, thanks, in large part, to his seemingly rejuvenated long-range shooting stroke.
Hopefully, this resurgence can continue through the rest of the campaign and into the next five years, with him now extended through the 2029-30 season.