<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/knicks-recent-success-molded-mikal-bridges-fit');   ga('set', 'title', 'Knicks’ recent success has been molded by Mikal Bridges fit');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Knicks-recent-success-has-been-molded-by-Mikal-Bridges-fit.jpg"></figure><h1>Knicks’ recent success has been molded by Mikal Bridges fit</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T14:09:20-08:00">December 21st, 2:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T14:10:20-08:00">December 21st, 2:10pm</time><address><a>Drew Maresca</a>Drew Maresca is a NY-area writer and researcher who has covered the NBA for more than 5 years. Prior to joining ClutchPoints to cover the New York Knicks, Drew wrote for Basketball News and Basketball Insiders. Drew has conducted interviews inside NBA locker rooms including Madison Square Garden, the Barclays Center, and the Kia Center, and he covered the 2019 NBA Draft in-person from Brooklyn.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Knicks are on a roll of late. They are winners of seven of their last 10 games, and 12 of their last 16. A good deal of their success can be attributed to how <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/1-important-key-to-knicks-success">well the Knicks have moved the ball</a>. On an individual level, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/indispensable-knicks-player-expectations-karl-anthony-towns">Karl-Anthony Towns has played incredibly well, too. </a>But he’s not the only one. Mikal Bridges has finally come around, which has greatly impacted the Knicks’ success.</p><h2><b>Mikal Bridges got off to a slow start</b></h2><p>After a slow—and frankly, disconcerting—start to the season with an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-mikal-bridges-jump-shot-changes-video-breakdown">allegedly altered jump shot</a>, newcomer <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/why-mikal-bridges-key-unlocking-knicks-championship-potential">Bridges has found his way</a>. As a reminder, Bridges started his Knicks’ tenure off badly, shooting just 2-for-19 on three-pointers through four pre-season games, and doing only marginally better through his first few games.</p><p>Even after improving after a few games, Bridges’ fit was still awkward. And more worrisome was the fact that he looked to be merely a role player; <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-finalize-trade-haul-mikal-bridges-knicks-blockbuster-deal">New York shipped out a significant amount of draft capital</a> in exchange for him, and that would have been an inexcusable misstep.</p><h2><b>All of a sudden, Bridges looks like the perfect fit many expected him to be</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Mikal-Bridges-drives-the-basketball-on-Minnesota-Timberwolves-guard-Mike-Conley.jpg"><figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>However, as most around the Knicks suspected, Bridges simply needed more time to adjust to a smaller role. Bridges had to re-learn when to shoot, as shots weren’t as readily available as they’d been with the Phoenix Suns or Brooklyn Nets. But with a smaller role, came less attention from opposing defenses. And that appears to have resonated with Bridges, who has played significantly better of late.</p><p>The former Villanova Wildcat has obviously figured out when and where to look for shots. After a slow start through the Knicks’ first nine games (15.3 points on a 47%/31%/50% shooting split), Bridges has put up a considerably <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bridgmi01/gamelog/2025">improved stat line</a> in New York’s last eight games (22.1 points on a 58%/43%/73% shooting split), per Basketball Reference. Looked at more deeply, Bridges scored 20 or more points only once through the Knicks’ first 10 games. He’s done it eight times over the Knicks’ last 17 games.</p><p>Specifically, Bridges looked about as comfortable as he has thus far in a Knicks uniform in their most recent win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bridges was in his bag, scoring 29 points, while also totaling six assists and six rebounds. He <i>also</i> tied his season high with 12 made field goals on 18 field goal attempts (second-most this season).</p><p>Further supporting the idea that Bridges has adjusted to his new role is the fact that he leads all NBA players in plus-minus throughout December (+129).</p><h2><b>Bridges’ attitude and approach make him a perfect fit in New York </b></h2><p>Knicks’ guard Cam Payne, who was also Bridges’ teammate in Phonex, recently spoke to the media about Bridges’ resilience.</p><p>“Once he started making shots, nobody said nothing [about his revamped shooting form]. Nobody is talking about how it looks now,” Cam Payne said. “So he just be locked in, man. He’s pretty good with stuff like that man. I actually applaud him for it. Because you could easily get distracted with that or get messed up in the head with it.”</p><p>Payne’s point about Bridges continuing to go about his work day in and day out despite what fans and the media said is an important point. It speaks to his professionalism, and his ability to look past criticism—an important skill for athletes in New York.</p><p>Looking ahead, Bridges is a key to the Knicks’ success. Of course Towns, Jalen Brunson, and OG Anunoby are, too. However, the Knicks probably need a lot from all four of their stars, which includes Bridges. They’ll need Brunson to orchestrate, Towns to dominate, and Anunoby and Bridges to defend and score. And increasingly, Bridges looks up for the challenge. Exactly how good the Knicks can be with a confident Bridges is anyone’s guess, but his play of late is incredibly encouraging.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Knicks’ recent success has been molded by Mikal Bridges fit

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/knicks-news-tom-thibodeau-prime-form-mikal-bridges-win');   ga('set', 'title', 'Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau in prime form with bonkers MIkal Bridges minutes in 24-point win');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/0Tom-Thibodeau-in-prime-form-with-bonkers-MIkal-Bridges-minutes-in-24-point-win-0.jpg"></figure><h1>Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau in prime form with bonkers MIkal Bridges minutes in 24-point win</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-06T08:53:08-08:00">December 6th, 8:53am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-06T08:53:08-08:00">December 6th, 8:53am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Knicks had a convincing win against the Charlotte Hornets, and it came with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/secret-behind-tom-thibodeau-knicks-minutes-strategy">big minutes from New York’s starting lineup</a>. The player with the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401704893" rel="noopener">most minutes played</a> was Mikal Bridges, who finished with 47. Bridges has always been a player who has been available when needed, and head coach Tom Thibodeau is known for maxing out his players’ minutes as much as he can. In other words, you can say that both Bridges and Thibodeau are a match made in heaven.</p><p>Even Knicks reporter Stefan Bondy noticed what Thibodeau was doing and<a href="https://x.com/SbondyNBA/status/1864864442770493918" rel="noopener"> wrote on X</a>, formerly Twitter, “This fourth quarter almost has me becoming a minutes police informant.”</p><p>One of the reasons Thibodeau probably kept Bridges in the game was because he was a +26 on the court, which was the highest +/- in the game. Bridges finished with 19 points, seven assists, and three rebounds.</p><h2>Mikal Bridges still trying to find role with Knicks</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Mikal-Bridges.jpg"><figcaption>John Jones-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It’s been up and down for Mikal Bridges in his first season with the Knicks on both sides of the ball. At the start of the year, many criticized his jump shot, which seemed to be affecting his shooting numbers as well. For a guy who has been a solid shooter since coming into the league, it was strange why he changed his shot out of nowhere. To add to that, his defense hadn’t been that impactful, either.</p><p>As the season has progressed, it looks like Bridges is starting to fit into his role, but the chemistry isn’t all the way there yet. If the Knicks have championship aspirations, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/why-mikal-bridges-key-unlocking-knicks-championship-potential">Bridges will be the key</a> to get them to where they want to go. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will put up their numbers every night, but it will be players such as Bridges and OG Anunoby that will shape how successful this team can really be.</p><p>Tom Thibodeau may have decided to play Bridges so many minutes because he wants him to play through it and figure it out, but the head coach has a track record of playing his players a lot of minutes. Sometimes, that’s not the best idea because it could lead to an unnecessary injury, especially if the game is pretty much already decided.</p><p>Despite any struggles that Bridges may have, the Knicks are 14-8 and fourth in the Eastern Conference, and they’ll continue to stack wins throughout the season with the amount of talent they have on the team.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau in prime form with bonkers MIkal Bridges minutes in 24-point win

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-cam-johnson-exceeding-expectations-expanded-role-following-mikal-bridges-departure');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Cam Johnson exceeding expectations in expanded role following Mikal Bridges departure');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nets-news-Cam-Johnson-exceeding-expectations-in-expanded-role-following-Mikal-Bridges-departure.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets’ Cam Johnson exceeding expectations in expanded role following Mikal Bridges departure</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-22T16:21:54-08:00">November 22nd, 4:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-23T09:24:43-08:00">November 23rd, 9:24am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Many assumed the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-cam-johnson-dorian-finney-smith-reveal-conversations-sean-marks-amid-trade-rumors">Brooklyn Nets would trade Cam Johnson this summer</a> after the team pivoted to a rebuild. A month into the 2024-25 season, the 28-year-old is off to the best start of his career with the new-look squad.</p><p>With leading scorer Cam Thomas sidelined Tuesday vs. the Charlotte Hornets, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-latest-win-shows-sean-marks-work-before-trade-deadline">Johnson scored 34 points</a> on 11-of-20 shooting from the field and 6-of-12 from three during a 116-115 win. He then scored 37 points during Friday’s 113-98 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, one off his career high, while matching a career-high nine made threes.</p><p>The 6-foot-8 sharpshooter had reached 30 points three times in 297 NBA appearances before the pair of performances. For the season, he’s averaged 19.3 points and 3.3 assists per game on 49.8 percent shooting from the field and 42.3 percent from three, all career-highs.</p><p>After battling injuries throughout a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, Johnson credited improved health and added opportunities for his high-level start.</p><p>“Just taking advantage of opportunities… Finding a rhythm, being able to be healthy all through preseason and god-willing, continue to stay healthy, is important,” he said. “Especially as a shooter, rhythm is really important. It’s hard to just miss time, come back and think everything’s gonna work out. But no matter what challenges are thrown, I’m just gonna keep on playing my game and trying to get some wins on the board for us.</p><p>Johnson has shouldered a heavier burden as a self-creator while stepping into an expanded role following Mikal Bridges’ departure.</p><h2>Cam Johnson raising Nets floor in expanded offensive role</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cam-Johnson.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The third-year Net has responded to the challenge, flashing an expanded offensive repertoire.</p><p>While his three-point shooting has remained near the top of the league, he’s also been highly efficient on drives, shooting a career-high 76 percent at the rim. That ranks in the 76th percentile among NBA forwards, per CleaningTheGlass. His aggressiveness has led to more free throws, as he’s attempted a career-high 3.3 per game and converted at a 91.8 percent clip.</p><p>Head coach Jordi Fernandez said that Johnson’s recent workload <a href="https://x.com/erikslater_/status/1860098092130808136" rel="noopener">exemplifies the team’s trust in the veteran</a> as more than a three-point shooter.</p><p>“I’ve always thought that he’s a very good overall player, not just a shooter,” Fernandez said Friday. “Not having CT the other day, I told him, ‘I’m gonna give you the ball more, and the team needs you to do that.’ And he was excellent. Sometimes, players show you what they’re able to do, and sometimes, you decide. I see that I can give him the ball a lot. That’s great that his teammates also trust him, and they can see that.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Asked Jordi Ferandnez whether Cam Johnson has exceeded his expectations as a self-creator offensively:</p><p>"Not having CT the other day, I told him, ‘I’m gonna give you the ball more, and the team needs you to do that.’ And he was excellent. Sometimes, players show you what they’re… <a href="https://t.co/MCasHh1GTQ">pic.twitter.com/MCasHh1GTQ</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1860098092130808136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/best-cam-johnson-trade-destinations-if-nets-continue-roster-blowup">Johnson’s hot start will add to trade speculation</a> as the season progresses. The former lottery pick’s three-and-D skillset and improved self-creation make him a fit for virtually any contender.</p><p>With the Nets eyeing a top draft pick, general manager Sean Marks is expected to field offers for several veterans ahead of the deadline. If Johnson can continue his steady play while staying healthy, he’ll be among the top players on the market.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Cam Johnson exceeding expectations in expanded role following Mikal Bridges departure

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/why-mikal-bridges-key-unlocking-knicks-championship-potential');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Mikal Bridges is a key to unlocking Knicks’ championship potential');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Why-Mikal-Bridges-is-a-key-to-unlocking-Knicks-championship-potential.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Mikal Bridges is a key to unlocking Knicks’ championship potential</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-19T10:28:10-08:00">November 19th, 10:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-19T10:28:36-08:00">November 19th, 10:28am</time><address><a>Drew Maresca</a>Drew Maresca is a NY-area writer and researcher who has covered the NBA for more than 5 years. Prior to joining ClutchPoints to cover the New York Knicks, Drew wrote for Basketball News and Basketball Insiders. Drew has conducted interviews inside NBA locker rooms including Madison Square Garden, the Barclays Center, and the Kia Center, and he covered the 2019 NBA Draft in-person from Brooklyn.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-4-things-knicks-fix-reach-potential">Mikal Bridges has had an awkward start</a> to his tenure as a member of the New York Knicks. Bridges looked like a major missing piece. He was widely considered an ideal third star who happened to be moonlighting as the Brooklyn Nets’ best player. So, joining the Knicks was a logical fit, as he was set to be a supplemental star behind Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. But plans change. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/how-karl-anthony-towns-trade-helps-knicks-timberwolves-hornets">New York traded Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns</a>—a move that destabilized the roster by removing some depth and resulting in less familiarity between starters.</p><h2><b>Knicks’ early struggles coincide with Bridges battle to regain form</b></h2><p>On a more personal level, Bridges struggled at first, too. He t<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-mikal-bridges-jump-shot-changes-video-breakdown">weaked his jump shot</a> before joining the Knicks. That change was seemingly meant to achieve a higher release point. It didn’t work well. Bridges shot just 2-for-19 on three-pointers through four pre-season games. And his start to the regular season looked similarly tenuous. He was 0 for 4 on threes in the first half of the first game of the season.</p><p>Sure, Bridges made two of his three triples in the second half of that first game, but his struggles weren’t over yet. He shot only 30.8% on three-point attempts through the first 10 games of the season, and he broke 20 points just once. Comparatively, Bridges made 37.2% of his three-pointers last season, and <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bridgmi01.html" rel="noopener">he averaged 19.6 points per game</a> in 2023-24.</p><p>Thankfully, Bridges has played better of late. He scored 20 or more in three straight games prior to Monday’s blowout win against the Washington Wizards, and he shot eight-for-21 on three-pointers ( 38%) in those three games.</p><h2><b>Bridges’ clear-cut role continues to evade</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Mikal-Bridges-and-Og-Anunoby.jpg"><figcaption>John Jones-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Still, Bridges is clearly struggling to find his role. For example, he’s shot just 11 free throws through the Knicks first 13 games. That’s after shooting 317 last season. He’s pretty clearly on pace for a career low.</p><p>Bridges’ defense has also been less impactful. Yes, he had a game-saving block against the Brooklyn Nets last week, which gave Knicks’ fans something to be happy about. But he’s had less of an impact than you’d expect, especially alongside OG Anunoby, with whom he was widely expected to form a monster defensive unit.</p><p>Furthermore, the Knicks’ are simply better without him, at least according to the statistics. New York has a better offensive and defensive rating without Bridges on the floor than they do with him. They shoot better (twos and threes) without him, too. And opponents shoot a better field goal percentage (twos and threes) with him <i>on</i> the floor. That’s a lot to digest. But it’s not all Bridges’ fault.</p><p>The Knicks are still a team learning to play with each other. Add in the fact that they swapped two above-average defenders at center for one less-than-stellar defender, along with the fact that their depth has been effectively depleted, at least for now, and you get a team struggling to stay live up to their potential. And with Bridges leading the Knicks in minutes played, his stats will inevitably be impacted by those around him. But this too shall pass.</p><h2><b>Despite all of the statistics, Bridges will be fine</b></h2><p>Still, the real Mikal Bridges is in there somewhere. He’s finding his role. In doing so, he leads the entire league in minutes per game. With a coach like Tom Thibodeau, who relies on players he trusts above all else, that’s saying something considering he <i>just</i> joined the team.</p><p>Additionally, he’s shown flashes of creating for himself. <i>Flashes</i>. But still, he’s penetrated off the dribble and scored a bit more as of late without being set up. And his back-to-the-basket game has been a bright spot.</p><p>So, ultimately, don’t fret, Knicks fans. It’s been just 14 games or 17% of the season. And the Knicks have stayed afloat, going 8-6 so far. And they’ve played all of those games without two important players: Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa. So, it’s important to understand that there are brighter days ahead.</p><p>Bridges will figure it out. He’s beloved by his teammates, especially his former college teammates (Brunson and Josh Hart). He’s previously played alongside superstars like Devin Booker. So, figuring out how to fit alongside the Knicks’ talented starting lineup shouldn’t be a problem. And he’s the most durable player in the game today. So, give him a little more time. Even if his production doesn’t live up to what he’s done in the past, his impact will be felt.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Mikal Bridges is a key to unlocking Knicks’ championship potential

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-mikal-bridges-reveals-1-regret-time-with-brooklyn');   ga('set', 'title', 'Knicks’ Mikal Bridges reveals 1 regret from time with Nets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nets-news-Mikal-Bridges-reveals-1-regret-from-time-with-Brooklyn.jpg"></figure><h1>Knicks’ Mikal Bridges reveals 1 regret from time with Nets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-18T07:13:54-08:00">November 18th, 7:13am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-18T07:51:45-08:00">November 18th, 7:51am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>At this time last season, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/former-net-mikal-bridges-defends-himself-reports-forced-knicks-trade">Mikal Bridges gave a disheartened press conference</a> about New York Knicks fans taking over a Brooklyn Nets home game at Barclays Center. One year later, he was on the other end of the crosstown rivalry.</p><p>Bridges faced the Nets this weekend for the first time since <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grading-blockbuster-mikal-bridges-trade-involving-nets-knicks-rockets">the blockbuster trade that sent him across the river</a>. He turned in two of his best performances of the season before sellout crowds at Madison Square Garden, averaging 21.5 points on 51.4 percent shooting during a pair of Knicks wins.</p><p>Bridges’ Brooklyn exit came with controversy. Reports said the 28-year-old informed the Nets that he wanted to be traded to the Knicks — where he would join Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart — and was willing to play hardball to force his way there. However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/former-net-mikal-bridges-defends-himself-reports-forced-knicks-trade">Bridges denied the claims</a> in the weeks following the deal.</p><p>He <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1858351252163416181" rel="noopener">told ClutchPoints on Sunday</a> that he only had one regret from his time in Brooklyn.</p><p>“The only thing I can say about that is I wish we had more wins. That’s pretty much it,” Bridges said. “I control what I can control. But there’s a lot of my guys over there. I’m still close with a lot of those people, even in the front office. They’re great people, so [I’m] never mad about it with them.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mikal Bridges on whether he wishes he did anything differently with the Nets:</p><p>"The only thing I can say about that is I wish we had more wins. That's pretty much it. I control what I can control. But there's a lot of my guys over there. I'm still close with a lot of those… <a href="https://t.co/eiWeRURIHS">pic.twitter.com/eiWeRURIHS</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1858351252163416181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2>Mikal Bridges’ path from Nets building block to crosstown rival</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Mikal-Bridges-and-Cam-Johnson.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Many viewed Bridges as Brooklyn’s core building block entering last season. After joining the Nets as the centerpiece of their return for Kevin Durant, he turned in a career-best stretch to close 2022-23, averaging 27.1 points on 48/38/89 shooting splits over 26 games.</p><p>However, he came back to earth in 2023-24 and looked growingly apathetic as the year progressed. The Nets struggled as a result, firing head coach Jacque Vaughn at the All-Star break. Despite this, the team still considered moving forward with Bridges as a centerpiece.</p><p>“When I was hired, he was on the team. And I had great conversations with him, I had workouts with him, I started to build a relationship with him,” said newly hired head coach Jordi Fernandez. “But the NBA has certain surprises, and things change… The trade was part of our direction with how we want to do things and the plan that we have for building success and sustaining success.”</p><p>“Mikal is an amazing player, and what I told him was, ‘There’s nothing else better than the NBA than being wanted.’ And he was wanted at that time. It’s part of the business.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jordi Fernandez's thoughts on the Mikal Bridges trade:</p><p>“It’s part of our direction and how we want to do things and the plan that we have for building sustainable success. He’s an amazing player. I told him there’s nothing better in the NBA than being wanted, and he was wanted… <a href="https://t.co/J3n02Eu6GT">pic.twitter.com/J3n02Eu6GT</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1857566571939475694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2>Bridges leaving Nets struggles behind in pursuit of championship with Knicks</h2><p>Bridges’ demeanor against his former team was a stark contrast to the second half of last season. Defensively, he looked energized, inspiring hope after a lackluster start to the year. Offensively, his three-point efficiency improved, as he knocked down 7-of-17 attempts (41.2 percent) after shooting 21-of-69 (30.4 percent) over his first 11 games.</p><p>Bridges hit the Nets <a href="https://x.com/erikslater_/status/1858331980011552854" rel="noopener">with his patented three-point celebration</a> on Sunday after draining a triple in front of their bench. Cam Johnson, his longtime teammate and “Twin” dating back to their first seasons with the Phoenix Suns, had a four-word response to being on the other end of the move.</p><p>“It’s annoying, very annoying,” he said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cam Johnson on getting hit with Mikal Bridges’ three-point celebration:</p><p>“It’s annoying… very annoying.” <a href="https://t.co/hFbRP7Cvqo">https://t.co/hFbRP7Cvqo</a> <a href="https://t.co/vTwnNa0zEV">pic.twitter.com/vTwnNa0zEV</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1858344027227029575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Bridges and the Nets are now on divergent paths. The Knicks are all-in on a championship pursuit after trading Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Bojan Bogdonavic, six first-round picks and a first-round pick swap to acquire Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns this summer.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Nets are expected to continue a teardown this season in pursuit of a top draft pick. Following the Bridges trade, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-gm-sean-marks-reveals-why-took-knicks-mikal-bridges-trade-offer">Brooklyn has 15 first-round picks</a> over the next seven years. They have four in a loaded 2025 draft, including their own and the Bucks’, which is growing in value amid Milwaukee’s 4-9 start.</p><p>Arguments between Knicks and Nets fans about who won the deal will continue as the season progresses. Anything short of a championship will be considered a failure for New York, while Brooklyn’s grade will remain incomplete for the foreseeable future.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Knicks’ Mikal Bridges reveals 1 regret from time with Nets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mikal-bridges-gets-real-on-impending-knicks-home-debut');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mikal Bridges gets real on impending Knicks home debut');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mikal-Bridges-gets-real-on-impending-NY-home-debut.jpg"></figure><h1>Mikal Bridges gets real on impending Knicks home debut</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-24T12:33:37-07:00">October 24th, 12:33pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-24T12:33:37-07:00">October 24th, 12:33pm</time><address><a>Ryan Bologna</a>Ryan Bologna is an author at ClutchPoints. He studied journalism and communication at UConn.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After a disappointing 132-109 loss on opening night on the road against the Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks, and especially Mikal Bridges are looking forward to <a href="https://www.nj.com/knicks/2024/10/mikal-bridges-excited-for-knicks-home-opener-says-team-must-apply-more-aggressive-defense.html" rel="noopener">trying to bounce back</a> in the home opener at Madison Square Garden against the Indiana Pacers on Friday.</p><p>“Excited, man, really excited,” Mikal Bridges said, via Adam Zagoria of NJ Advance Media. “I mean, felt the energy in a preseason game. So just excited to go out here and get another opportunity to go get a win, and it’s gonna be real fun.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-panic-meter-after-embarrassing-season-opener-vs-celtics">The Knicks are facing</a> the Pacers for the first time since being eliminated on their home court in Game 7 of the second round last season. New York brings a much different squad this year with Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns in the fold and Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo shipped to Minnesota. The new pieces are still trying to mesh together to reach the potential they believe they have. Bridges spoke on that process <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-fatal-flaw-doom-2025-nba-championship-chances">the Knicks are going</a> through on and off the court.</p><p>“Focusing on building chemistry together, just every day in practice,” Bridges said, via Zagoria. “Every day when we do dinners and stuff and hanging out, especially on the road with hotels and stuff.”</p><h2><b>Knicks looking to solve defensive woes</b></h2><p>The Knicks showed the promise they have on the offensive side of the court in Boston. There has been concern regarding Bridges’ shot and the change in form that he has implemented. He started the game 0-5 from three, but found a bit of a rhythm in the second half, ending the game shooting 7-for-13 and 2-for-7 from three. A well-rounded offensive performance from Bridges on Friday would quell a lot of concerns.</p><p>The main problem for the Knicks was the defensive end of the floor, as they were barraged with 29 threes against the Celtics, and it seemed like Boston could get an open look from behind the arc any time it wanted. Bridges, who was also brought in to be that elite wing defender he was in the past, spoke on how the Knicks can improve on that end of the floor.</p><p>“I think it starts on ball,” Bridges said, via Zagoria. “So I think it starts with being aggressive on ball, putting pressure, coming off ball screens and from there, and then flying around and being on their toes, being right there and about to shoot. … So [it] all starts with the beginning, guys coming off the ball screen, and they generate offense like that, putting pressure on them so they don’t get easy passes, make them higher passes so teammates get a chance to get back out there.”</p><p>The Pacers are not an easy matchup for a team that is finding its way defensively, as Indiana runs a fast-paced offense that wore out the hobbled Knicks in the playoff series last season. It will be a good test to see where New York stands as the new pieces continue to build chemistry in the early going.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mikal Bridges gets real on impending Knicks home debut

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/knicks-news-josh-hart-blunt-take-mikal-bridges-criticisms');   ga('set', 'title', 'Knicks’ Josh Hart delivers blunt take on Mikal Bridges criticisms');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/0-Josh-Hart-delivers-blunt-take-on-Mikal-Bridges-criticisms0.jpg"></figure><h1>Knicks’ Josh Hart delivers blunt take on Mikal Bridges criticisms</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-23T08:05:29-07:00">October 23rd, 8:05am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-23T08:05:29-07:00">October 23rd, 8:05am</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University while covering events like the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona State men's swim and dive team. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Knicks made a splash in the offseason, trading for Mikal Bridges. After the preseason came and went, skeptics were concerned about Bridges’s new jump shot mechanics. However, his teammate, Josh Hart, doesn’t appear phased. Ian Begley of SNY TV <a href="https://x.com/IanBegley/status/1848914963655479365" rel="noopener">shared</a> what Hart thought of the criticisms.</p><p>“Josh Hart calls discussion of Mikal Bridges’ perimeter shot ‘stupid’ and ‘stupidity’, saying Bridges ‘puts the work in’ &amp; ‘he’s going to be good.’ Hart cites that Bridges’ perimeter shooting (38% career). “The talk around it is stupid and we’re not really going to entertain it.”</p><p>Hart makes a valid point about his former collegiate teammate. Bridges <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/mikal-bridges-1.html" rel="noopener">shot 40% for his career</a> at Villanova and those numbers have translated over nicely to the NBA. He’s shot above 37% from three in his last four seasons. While he’s taken on an expanded scoring role, he has kept his efficiency.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-mikal-bridges-jump-shot-changes-video-breakdown">Bridges’ jump shot had a concerning video breakdown</a> about how his form changed. He’s releasing the ball way higher instead of his usual eye-level spot. Despite Hart having his teammates’ back, others had the opposite response. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-fans-flaming-mikal-bridges-new-shooting-form">Fans flamed Bridges’ new form</a> after a tough 132-109 loss to the Boston Celtics. He connected on only two of seven threes, far from the consistent three-ball production many expect.</p><h2><b>Will the Mikal Bridges criticism stop for the Knicks?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Josh-Hart-delivers-blunt-take-on-Mikal-Bridges-criticisms.jpg"><figcaption>© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>A rough going in the preseason and in the opening game doesn’t make the Knicks forward’s life any easier. However, there have been funky, yet efficient jump shots in the league. For example, Shawn Marion, and Chandler Parsons are two examples that come to mind. Both of those players shot the ball well despite having an unorthodox form.</p><p>The concerning issue is that Bridges had a nice-looking jump shot before heading to the Knicks. Even when he was with the Brooklyn Nets this previous season, his shot looked the same as it has been. Bridges said that <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2024/10/22/24275872/mikal-bridges-jump-shot-broken-video-numbers-new-york-knicks-trade" rel="noopener">he tried to eliminate a hitch in his jump shot</a>. He was trying to raise the release point of his jumper, but it’s giving him a two-motion shooting release. Although his 7’1 wingspan doesn’t make his shot look superfluid, the eye test matches the clunky form.</p><p>His 37.2% on 7.2 attempts per game from three is encouraging, so this might not be a big worry. Considering the draft capital the Knicks gave up, any major changes with Bridges could be disastrous for New York. After going all-in during the summer, if Bridges regresses in his shooting, the Knicks could be on the wrong side of history.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Knicks’ Josh Hart delivers blunt take on Mikal Bridges criticisms

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/knicks-news-fans-flaming-mikal-bridges-new-shooting-form');   ga('set', 'title', 'Knicks fans flaming Mikal Bridges’ new shooting form');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Fans-flaming-Mikal-Bridges-new-shooting-form.jpg"></figure><h1>Knicks fans flaming Mikal Bridges’ new shooting form</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-22T22:13:38-07:00">October 22nd, 10:13pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-22T22:13:38-07:00">October 22nd, 10:13pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>When the New York Knicks traded away a boatload of first-round picks to bring Mikal Bridges in, they envisioned that they’ll be getting closer to the Phoenix Suns version of him — an uber-efficient three-and-D wing who can elevate the team and get them over the hump. However, during preseason and training camp, concerns grew surrounding Bridges as<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-mikal-bridges-jump-shot-changes-video-breakdown"> footage of his reworked jumpshot</a> made the rounds on social media.</p><p>Bridges, in the process of reworking his shot, made it look uglier than it was in the past. It looked like his shot had a hitch and an odd load-up, and it showed in the way he shot the ball in preseason. And to begin the 2024-25 regular season, Bridges’ shot did not look right, prompting many fans to clown the 28-year-old forward during the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-josh-hart-demands-drug-test-after-blowout-loss-to-celtics">Knicks’ demoralizing 132-109 defeat</a> to the reigning champion Boston Celtics.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mikal Bridges’ new jumpshot is hard to watch</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/realapp_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realapp_</a>) <a href="https://t.co/tOrlfhuwhB">pic.twitter.com/tOrlfhuwhB</a></p><p>— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1848880095345385875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Mikal Bridges became a Knick and immediately turned into Michael Kidd-Gilchrist,” X user @kiiLkenny <a href="https://x.com/kiiLkenny/status/1848873938753081804" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mikal Bridges <a href="https://t.co/49uppNO93k">pic.twitter.com/49uppNO93k</a></p><p>— 🎭 (@FanMahome) <a href="https://twitter.com/FanMahome/status/1848878819916320901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“mikal bridges we pouring WD40 on you,” <a href="https://x.com/londonstheory/status/1848884749055447490" rel="noopener">added</a> @londonstheory.</p><p>“Mikal Bridges shoot like he got new arms,” <a href="https://x.com/Mikebeenhere/status/1848879127660560398" rel="noopener">furthered</a> @Mikebeenhere.</p><p>Some even went as far as to compare Bridges’ jumpshot to that of a former Knicks center in Bill Cartwright — someone who’s infamous for having one of the worst-looking jumpshots in NBA history.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mikal Bridges has transformed into Bill Cartwright. <a href="https://t.co/8K3cRk8x8e">pic.twitter.com/8K3cRk8x8e</a></p><p>— RŸLAN (@Rylan_MK) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rylan_MK/status/1848889496474959975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Knicks fans are wondering why in the world Bridges and his camp thought that reworking his shooting form was necessary. It’s not as if Bridges came into the league not knowing how to shoot threes. Entering the 2024-25 season, Bridges career three-point percentage is 37.5 — an above-average mark, especially considering the volume with which he lets three-point attempts fly.</p><p>“Who the f**k tried to fix Bridges shot. Fire his a**,” @That90sDad <a href="https://x.com/That90sDad/status/1848946971274338433" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.</p><p>“Bring back your shooting form, Mikal Bridges. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” @izzobean <a href="https://x.com/izzobean/status/1848898432859353097" rel="noopener">added</a>.</p><p>The good news, however, is that Bridges appeared to right the ship in the second half, even though the Knicks had long lost the game by then.</p><p>“Seems like bridges somehow managed to fix his jumpshot in the middle of the game. He’s looked solid in the second half and he doesn’t seem to have that weird hitch anymore,” @benmazztalksnba <a href="https://x.com/benmazztalksnba/status/1848895065931886884" rel="noopener">pointed out</a>.</p><p>The Knicks will need Bridges to be at his best self for them to contend for a championship, and at the very least, he showed signs of life in the second half of their blowout loss on opening night.</p><h2><b>Knicks get demolished by the Celtics on opening night</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Knicks-forward-Mikal-Bridges-25-shoots.jpg"></figure><p>It was obvious that the Knicks were still building chemistry with the way they played on Tuesday night. Their offense was disjointed at times, with the Celtics baiting them to go one on one on multiple occasions, and then on defense, they did not have the level of communication that was required to prevent Boston from popping off from deep in a historic manner.</p><p>Nonetheless, Mikal Bridges righted the ship in the second half; he <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/mikal-bridges-2nd-half-stats-october-22-2024" rel="noopener">scored all 16 of his points</a> following the halftime intermission, and he did so on a clean 7-8 shooting from the field. That should quell Knicks fans’ concerns regarding his shot, at least for the moment.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Knicks fans flaming Mikal Bridges’ new shooting form

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/knicks-news-mikal-bridges-jump-shot-changes-video-breakdown');   ga('set', 'title', 'Knicks Mikal Bridges’ jump shot changes get concerning video breakdown');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Knicks-news-Mikal-Bridges-jump-shot-changes-get-concerning-video-breakdown.jpg"></figure><h1>Knicks Mikal Bridges’ jump shot changes get concerning video breakdown</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-21T10:09:06-07:00">October 21st, 10:09am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-21T10:09:06-07:00">October 21st, 10:09am</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University while covering events like the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona State men's swim and dive team. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Knicks splashed in the offseason, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-stunning-mikal-bridges-nets-rockets-trade">trading for Mikal Bridges</a> and Karl-Anthony Towns for their quest for another NBA championship. However, since the preseason began and Bridges graced the floor, uncertainty looms. <br><br>Videos of Bridges’ jump shot <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1g7qh8v/bballbreakdown_significant_changes_to_mikal/?utm_source=ifttt" rel="noopener">circulated social media</a> and it’s sparked some issues. His shot used to have a lower set point, which results in a quicker shot, and a higher percentage. That mantra was present during his first seasons with the Phoenix Suns. After only shooting 33.5% from three in his rookie year, he made some necessary changes.</p><p>Bridges implemented a lower set point for his shot. Although he was used as a three-point threat, getting a shot off quicker pays dividends in the NBA. He also played alongside Chris Paul and Devin Booker, two guys with the ball in their hands, who attract a lot of attention from the defense. Because of this, Bridges didn’t have to worry about scoring in a variety of ways. Considering he was a <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/mikal-bridges-1.html" rel="noopener">40% three-point shooter in college</a>, there wasn’t much to change.</p><h2>Knicks Mikal Bridges’ jump shot change has shades of a former MVP</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mikal-Bridges-new-jump-shot-raises-concerns-for-the-Knicks.jpg"><figcaption>© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>This isn’t the first issue of a star player having their jump shot altered. For example, former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo had a pretty jumper and <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/antetgi01.html" rel="noopener">shot nearly 35% from three</a> in his rookie season. The percentage isn’t great but considering he’s primarily a slasher was a promising sign. Antetokounmpo put on a plethora of muscle, which made people change his shot. As a result, it’s decently effective but still looks clunky once he releases it.<br><br>For Bridges, there’s no clear reason for the change. Even <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/timberwolves-news-anthony-edwards-nsfw-trash-talk-mikal-bridges">Anthony Edwards went NSFW mode on Bridges’ shot</a> during the preseason. The old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” In his case, he’s been a sniper from three and a true outside threat. <br><br>He shot over 36% from three since the 2021-22 season while increasing his attempts drastically. When Bridges was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, the basketball world saw how talented of a scorer he could be. Even now with the Knicks, he can still be an effective scorer with Jalen Brunson and Towns taking a good amount of shots. However, it’s important to know if the shot will influence his percentages.</p><p>The Knicks open the season against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday in the first game of the season. That will be the true test of Bridges’ jump shot and if it’s truly a concern.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Knicks Mikal Bridges’ jump shot changes get concerning video breakdown

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/wizards-news-kyle-kuzma-mikal-bridges-comparison-washington-rookie');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kyle Kuzma makes Mikal Bridges comparison to Wizards rookie');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Wizards-news-Kyle-Kuzma-makes-Mikal-Bridges-comparison-to-Washington-rookie.jpg"></figure><h1>Kyle Kuzma makes Mikal Bridges comparison to Wizards rookie</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-18T14:11:20-07:00">October 18th, 2:11pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-18T14:13:55-07:00">October 18th, 2:13pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Washington <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/wizards-news-jordan-poole-hypes-kyshawn-george-corey-kispert-preseason-heaters">Wizards rookie Kyshawn George</a> has been a standout player this fall ahead of the team’s final preseason contest on Friday night. So much so, that veteran forward Kyle Kuzma sees shades of a certain NBA All-Defensive First Teamer in the Miami alum.</p><p>Kuzma likened George to New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges <a href="https://twitter.com/bijan_todd/status/1846965668517761347?s=46" rel="noopener">on Thursday, via</a> Monumental Sports Network’s Bijan Todd.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I referred to Kyshawn George as a forward on media day. Both he and Bub corrected me and referred to him as a guard.</p><p>I asked Kyle Kuzma what he considers Kyshawn to be, and his answer was encouraging.</p><p>Point forward-esque. Think Mikal Bridges archetype. <a href="https://t.co/TWtJ7QhBBs">pic.twitter.com/TWtJ7QhBBs</a></p><p>— Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd) <a href="https://twitter.com/bijan_todd/status/1846965668517761347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“He’s a forward, but he’s you know, like a point forward. There’s all these different names now, but he’s the kind of guy, like, the same style as Mikal Bridges,” Kuzma said. “You’d say Mikal Bridges is like a four, right? He can handle, he can play off pick-and-roll, you know, he can just do a little bit more. He’s still 6-foot-8, so he’s still pretty big.”</p><p>George made a good first impression after getting drafted in the second round this spring, scoring 35 points on 13-of-24 shooting with 12 rebounds, nine assists, six steals, and four blocks through the first four preseason games. Washington hosts the New York Knicks on Friday night before starting its regular season slate against the Boston Celtics on Thursday.</p><p>Comparing George to Bridges is high praise, as the latter is one of the league’s best two-way players. Not only is the two-time NCAA National Champion known for his suffocating defense on the perimeter, but he’s a capable scorer as well, averaging 19.6 points per game on 43.1% shooting last year. On top of that, he hasn’t missed a game since being drafted in 2018.</p><p>Although Kuzma didn’t say George is at Bridges’ level as a player just yet, comparing their styles suggests that George could reach those heights one day if he develops.</p><h2><b>Kyshawn George could be a draft steal for Wizards</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Wizards-Kyshawn-George.jpg"><figcaption>© Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>George’s play has turned heads around the league, with NBA legend Walt Frazier even saying “This kid has been impressive” on the Knicks’ <a href="https://www.nba.com/wizards/news/recap-kyshawn-george-impresses-in-wizards-loss-to-knicks" rel="noopener">broadcast during the</a> Wizards-Knicks game on October 9, via Monumental Sports Network’s Chase Hughes. While No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr was the headliner of Washington’s draft class this past June, George may be just as important down the line.</p><p>However, the Swiss-Canadian must continue proving himself over the long grind of the 82-game season. With veteran guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/wizards-news-malcolm-brogdon-devastating-injury-update-before-2024-25-season">Malcolm Brogdon currently sidelined</a>, both George and fellow rookie Bub Carrington should see heightened playing time, providing an immediate opportunity to establish themselves as legitimate players at the top level.</p><p>If George even sniffs a Bridges-level career going forward, it’ll do wonders for Washington’s rebuild. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-new-york-trade-wizards-thunder-mikal-bridges-blockbuster">Wizards acquired him from the Knicks</a> on draft night for the 26th and 51st overall picks in 2024, which is well worth an upper-echelon NBA player.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kyle Kuzma makes Mikal Bridges comparison to Wizards rookie

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/timberwolves-news-anthony-edwards-nsfw-trash-talk-mikal-bridges');   ga('set', 'title', 'Anthony Edwards’ leaked NSFW trash talk to Mikal Bridges goes viral');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Anthony-Edwards-leaked-NSFW-trash-talk-to-Mikal-Bridges-goes-viral.jpg"></figure><h1>Anthony Edwards’ leaked NSFW trash talk to Mikal Bridges goes viral</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-14T10:39:38-07:00">October 14th, 10:39am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-15T11:27:46-07:00">October 15th, 11:27am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Anthony <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/timberwovles-news-anthony-edwards-blasts-jayson-tatum-netflix-show-yall-trippin">Edwards is getting recognition as a trash-talker</a>, and he’s starting early in the preseason. In the Minnesota Timberwolves game against the New York Knicks, Edwards was caught talking to Mikal Bridges while he was <a href="https://twitter.com/legendz_nba/status/1845680058586849345" rel="noopener">shooting his free throws</a>.</p><p>“That n—- done changed his shot, man…. D—,” Edwards is heard saying.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LEAKED Audio Of Anthony Edwards Trash Talking Mikal Bridges👀:</p><p>“That n**** done changed his shot, man…. Damn!” <a href="https://t.co/Aieczd0SPv">pic.twitter.com/Aieczd0SPv</a></p><p>— LegendZ (@legendz_nba) <a href="https://twitter.com/legendz_nba/status/1845680058586849345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>It does look like Bridges has tweaked his shot just a bit, but Edwards being the one to mention it made the moment hilarious. There’s no doubt that during the season, there will be more moments of Edwards talking trash to other players around the league.</p><h2>Anthony Edwards is becoming one of NBA’s best trash-talkers</h2><p>Anthony Edwards was most recently seen talking trash on Netflix’s Starting 5. During one of the segments, the Timberwolves had just beaten the Boston Celtics in overtime, and Edwards did his best on trying to contain Jayson Tatum.</p><p>After the game, the cameras heard him talking about Tatum and his status in the league.</p><p>“You seen Tatum trying to get me on the switch, locked his a– up 2 times,” Edwards said. “He started talking s—. Tatum was talking crazy, saying, ‘Yeah, I’m here,’ then I said, ‘I’m coming again.’ Talking ‘bout best player in the league, y’all trippin’.”</p><p>Edwards was also seen talking trash to Kevin Durant in the playoffs last season, and there have been many more moments where the Timberwolves star has gotten the best of his opponents. Nobody gets a pass with Edwards, not even the older generation of NBA players. A few months ago, he was asked how he thought <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/timberwolves-news-anthony-edwards-claims-michael-jordan-was-only-older-generation-player-with-skill">basketball is different now compared</a> to back in the day</p><p>“I didn’t watch it back in the day so I can’t speak on it,” Edwards said. “They say it was tougher back then than it is now, but I don’t think anybody had skill back then. [Michael Jordan] was the only one that really had skill, you know what I mean? So that’s why when they saw Kobe [Bryant], they were like, ‘Oh, my God.’ But now everybody has skill.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Anthony Edwards’ leaked NSFW trash talk to Mikal Bridges goes viral

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mikal-bridges-knicks-contract-extension-timeline-gets-critical-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mikal Bridges’ Knicks contract extension timeline gets critical update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mikal-Bridges-contract-extension-timeline-gets-critical-update.jpg"></figure><h1>Mikal Bridges’ Knicks contract extension timeline gets critical update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-06T18:49:28-07:00">October 6th, 6:49pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-06T18:49:28-07:00">October 6th, 6:49pm</time><address><a>Ryan Bologna</a>Ryan Bologna is an author at ClutchPoints. He studied journalism and communication at UConn.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Knicks have Mikal Bridges under contract for the next two seasons after acquiring him in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, and he reportedly is <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/sunday-best-all-the-latest-from-the" rel="noopener">going to wait until</a> the next offseason to work out an extension with his new team, according to Marc Stein.</p><p>“The Knicks’ Mikal Bridges is waiting until after the season to hammer out a contract extension with his new team, league sources tell The Stein Line,” Marc Stein wrote in his Substack newsletter.</p><p>By waiting until next offseason, Bridges will get a more lucrative deal, and will be more comfortable after getting a season in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/what-karl-anthony-towns-means-mitchell-robinson-future-knicks">with the Knicks</a>. Stein went into exactly what an extension could look like for Bridges next summer.</p><p>“By waiting until after the season, Bridges would be eligible for a more appealing four-year deal worth an estimated $157 million,” Stein wrote.”</p><p>The yearly salary at that number would be just under $40 million. Bridges’ current contract has him at just under $23 million a year, and is one of the best value contracts in the NBA, which is a big reason why it <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/karl-anthony-towns-first-bucket-with-knicks-after-timberwolves-trade">cost the Knicks</a> five unprotected first-round picks to acquire him from the Nets. There is little question about Bridges’ fit with the Knicks, given his history with Jalen Brunson at Villanova, as well as just the fact that the type of player Bridges is would fit with pretty much any team. But after this season, we will have a clear picture as far as the value Bridges brings to the Knicks, which will be important next summer for contract negotiations.</p><h2><b>Knicks firmly in contention window</b></h2><p>The Knicks undoubtedly view themselves as a team that can contend to win an NBA Championship after the acquisitions of Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns this offseason. New York has star player Jalen Brunson locked into a very good contract that saves money long-term, while Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby are under contract for the next few years as well. Bridges will likely join that group.</p><p>The four of Brunson, Bridges, Towns and Anunoby compliment each other, because they are all good shooters, so the spacing on the floor will open up plenty of opportunities to score for pretty much everyone on the team. It will be interesting to see how that group fares this year. The expectation will be to make a deep run in the playoffs and perhaps be competitive with the Boston Celtics if they cross paths.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mikal Bridges’ Knicks contract extension timeline gets critical update

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/knicks-news-how-new-yorks-creativity-with-mikal-bridges-trade-enabled-karl-anthony-towns-deal');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Knicks’ creativity with Mikal Bridges trade enabled Karl-Anthony Towns deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Knicks-news-How-New-Yorks-creativity-with-Mikal-Bridges-trade-enabled-Karl-Anthony-Towns-deal.jpg"></figure><h1>How Knicks’ creativity with Mikal Bridges trade enabled Karl-Anthony Towns deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-02T08:54:08-07:00">October 2nd, 8:54am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-02T08:54:08-07:00">October 2nd, 8:54am</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Knicks were by far the most <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-how-long-knicks-were-working-massive-karl-anthony-towns-trade">active team on the trade market</a> this offseason, at least in the blockbuster department. Not only did they trade for Karl-Anthony Towns last Friday, they also dealt away a plethora of first-round picks to bring Mikal Bridges in. They sense that there is a major opportunity for them to compete for a championship, and there’s no question that they’re going for it.</p><p>Building a roster with plenty of top-tier talent like the Knicks have requires careful planning and some much-needed foresight. The Knicks front office <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-the-european-complication-delayed-karl-anthony-towns-trade">opened the door for a Towns trade</a> by prioritizing flexibility in the aftermath of the deal that they struck with the Brooklyn Nets for Bridges.</p><p>As Keith Smith, cap expert for Spotrac, wrote, the Knicks <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/news/_/id/2469/knicks-timberwolves-hornets-get-creative-in-three-team-deal" rel="noopener">decided to send more money</a> in salary to the Nets than they got back in return. This then prevented them from being hard-capped at the first luxury tax apron. They would not have been able to trade for Towns using the package they gave away to the Minnesota Timberwolves if they were hard-capped at the first apron.</p><p>A trade for Towns would have required the Knicks to give up more assets if they were hard-capped at the first apron. But with the flexibility they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-nets-mikal-bridges-expaned-unqiue-sign-and-trade">retained by including Shake Milton</a> (via sign-and-trade) in the Bridges deal, they were able to utilize some cap technicalities to match Towns’ salary worth $49.2 million for the 2024-25 season, although it necessitated the inclusion of a third team to make the deal work.</p><p>It might be salary cap management 101 to do what the Knicks did; given their need for a center amid their lack of depth at the position as well as Mitchell Robinson’s injury, allowing themselves to go past the first tax apron was a bare minimum requirement. But considering how mismanaged the Knicks have been for most of the 21st century, this level of awareness is refreshing, especially when it has proven to be the difference when it comes to acquiring a four-time All-Star who’s still in the middle of his prime.</p><h2><b>Knicks sacrifice depth for top-shelf talent — will it work?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Knicks-forward-Mikal-Bridges-speaks.jpg"></figure><p>The Knicks assembled for themselves some quality depth at every position to end the 2023-24 season. This depth came in handy amid injury problems to the likes of Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and OG Anunoby, allowing them to finish the season as the two-seed. They even came to within just one win away of making it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.</p><p>But the Knicks then decided to consolidate their depth to acquire two quality pieces in Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. While Bridges gives the Knicks arguably the best 3-and-D wing duo in the league (alongside Anunoby) and Towns will make their offense close to unstoppable thanks to his generationally-great shooting ability, they will have to cobble together a workable bench mob from spare parts.</p><p>At the moment, only Miles McBride and Precious Achiuwa remain as convincing bench pieces for the Knicks. Cameron Payne could be of help as well. But their wing depth is very questionable now that Donte DiVincenzo is gone, and it’s unclear who could step up to give the Knicks some quality production off the bench.</p><p>Even Tom Thibodeau, a head coach notorious for giving his players as many minutes as they can handle, will need to rely on more than just five players to achieve their goal of winning a championship.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Knicks’ creativity with Mikal Bridges trade enabled Karl-Anthony Towns deal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-mikal-bridges-not-planning-extension-knicks');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Mikal Bridges not planning to sign 2-year extension with Knicks');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/IMG_0803.jpeg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Mikal Bridges not planning to sign 2-year extension with Knicks</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-29T16:56:04-07:00">September 29th, 4:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-29T16:56:04-07:00">September 29th, 4:56pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-karl-anthony-towns-stunned-timberwolves-knicks-trade">Knicks just pulled off the biggest trade</a> of the offseason in acquiring Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns. But before that, they signaled their intentions to contend in the Eastern Conference with a previous trade. The Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, but he <a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/277436/Mikal-Bridges-Unlikely-To-Sign-Two-Year-Extension-With-Knicks-With-Preference-For-Longer-Deal-In-2025" rel="noopener">reportedly isn’t looking to sign</a> a contract extension with the team just yet as per ESPN insider Bobby Marks.</p><p>“The indication I’ve gotten just from talking to people is that there is not going to be an extension,” Marks reported. “That he will wait until next year to look at what the extension. . .because he’s limited as far as the sixth-month rule as far as what he can extend for. Next year, he can extend for four years.”</p><p>Marks also reported that it’s possible Mikal Bridges’ thinking could change before the Oct. 21 deadline to sign a contract extension. That the initial decision was before the Towns trade was made.</p><p>With Bridges and Towns now in the fold, the Knicks are expected to be contenders in the Eastern Conference. They finished last season with the second best record in the East and advanced to the East Semifinals before falling to the Indiana Pacers in seven games.</p><h2>Mikal Bridges ready to begin Knicks career</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mikal-Bridges-attacks-the-defense.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Prior to the Towns deal, the Knicks big offseason move was bringing in Mikal Bridges in a trade with the Nets. Aside from Bridges’ talent on the court, the deal was significant in that it reunited him with his former Villanova teammates in Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart.</p><p>But fans will never get to see the Villanova quartet in action as DiVincenzo was sent to Minnesota as part of the Towns trade.</p><p>In any case, Bridges will help the Knicks on both ends of the court. Last season, he appeared in all 82 games for the Nets at a little over 34 minutes per game. He averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals with splits of 43.6 percent shooting from the field, 37.2 percent shooting from the three-point line and 81.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>With the Knicks’ new additions, Bridges and Towns look like they’ll slot right in to the starting lineup alongside Brunson, Hart and OG Anunoby. With Mitchell Robinson expected to be sidelined to start the season due to injury, Towns’ acquisition is big in that the Knicks have someone who can step right in and play center. They also lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Mikal Bridges not planning to sign 2-year extension with Knicks

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/knicks-news-mikal-bridges-jalen-brunson-roast-1-on-1-game');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson roast each other over 1-on-1 game');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mikal-Bridges-Jalen-Brunson-roast-each-other-over-1-on-1-game.jpg"></figure><h1>Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson roast each other over 1-on-1 game</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-20T19:18:28-07:00">September 20th, 7:18pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-20T19:18:28-07:00">September 20th, 7:18pm</time><address><a>Nathan Yasis</a>Nathan Yasis is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, specializing in the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-mikal-bridges-to-follow-in-jalen-brunsons-footsteps-with-next-knicks-contract">Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges</a> put on a show for the live audience at Central Park during The Roommates Show. The longtime friends and former Villanova teammates, now both with the New York Knicks, engaged in playful trash talk that hinted at an exciting season ahead.</p><p>Bridges wasted no time taking shots at Brunson during the recent episode, setting the tone for their fun rivalry.</p><p>When asked about his excitement to team up with Knicks’ defensive powerhouse OG Anunoby, Bridges expressed his enthusiasm. He <a href="https://www.twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1837232323106066894" rel="noopener">highlighted that the squad</a> is stacked with strong defenders across all positions, making it an exciting prospect.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jalen Brunson: “I have busted your ass for years. Don’t do that… Best defender, my ass.”</p><p>Mikal Bridges: “I packed you up the last time we played.” </p><p>Brunson: “I’m 6’2 and you can’t guard me in the post.” 😂</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/Roommates__Show?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Roommates__Show</a>)<a href="https://t.co/R3u5zep4Br">pic.twitter.com/R3u5zep4Br</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1837232323106066894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Mikal Bridges taking a jab at Jalen Brunson’s defensive skills</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jalen-Brunson-driving-against-Mikal-Bridges.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While making the claim, Bridges gave Brunson a playful side-eye, implying he wasn’t quite the defensive expert. Brunson didn’t take the jab lightly, quickly firing back, sparking a hilarious argument between the two teammates.</p><p>“I have busted your ass for years. Don’t do that. Don’t look at me like that. Best defender, my ass.” Brunson reacted.</p><p>“I packed you up the last time we played,” Bridges reacted.</p><p>Brunson then interjected, “I’m 6’2 and you can’t guard me in the post.”</p><p>Beyond their Villanova days, Brunson and Bridges have faced off in the NBA, including matchups between the Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. With plenty of game film on each other, they could easily dive into detailed video analysis. Additionally, Brunson holds an edge when it comes to playoff success.</p><p>While with the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson helped eliminate the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-mikal-bridges-suns-lowest-point-nba-career">Phoenix Suns, Bridges’ former team</a>, in a dominant 123-90 victory during Game 7 of the 2022 Western Conference semifinals. This explains Brunson’s strong confidence when facing Bridges.</p><p>Brunson even suggested to livestream their 1-on-1.</p><p>“Like I said, you got a 6’8 ‘Defender’ that can’t guard a 6’2 player,” Jalen Brunson reiterated.</p><p>The audience burst into laughter when Brunson, the Knicks’ standout guard, questioned Bridges’ ability to defend him in the post. Not missing a beat, Bridges responded with a playful dig about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-josh-hart-drops-bobblehead-jalen-brunson-take-on-seth-meyers-show">the size of Brunson’s head</a>, adding to the fun exchange.</p><p>“Listen, hold up. We know how your f**king head fakes is bruh. When you got a big a*s head and you go this way, I got to bite. I got to go this way,” Mikal Bridges playfully added.</p><h2><b>The new look New York Knicks showing great chemistry</b></h2><p>The exchange between the two had the crowd in stitches, reminiscent of the amusing back-and-forths between Hart and Brunson on the podcast, as well as their antics during interviews. If this playful rivalry is any indication, Bridges appears to be an excellent addition to the Knicks.</p><p>The Knicks dominated the regular-season series against the Nets in the 2023-24 season, so Bridges might have been referencing a potential one-on-one contest. While their playful exchanges during the podcast were entertaining, that competitive energy is sure to heighten the Knicks’ intensity for the upcoming 2024-25 season.</p><p>With Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart already on the roster, the addition of Bridges enhances the Knicks’ team chemistry, positioning them among the best in the league.</p><p>The four players won a championship together in 2016, and Brunson, DiVincenzo, and Bridges secured another title in 2018 after Hart moved on to the NBA. This shared history could provide the Knicks with a competitive edge as the “Villanova Knicks” aim for a championship this season.</p><p>While initial indications are promising, it’s still uncertain whether the chemistry between the Villanova alumni will translate as effectively on the court as it does off of it.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
17.3	3.4	3.3	0.5	1.1

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
17.3	3.4	3.3	0.5	1.1

Mikal Bridges news

Mikal
Bridges news