Knicks' Mikal Bridges acknowledges 'terrible' Game 3, vows to be better in Game 4 of NBA Finals
Knicks' Mikal Bridges speaks to the media at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
If it seems like there’s been a love-hate relationship between Knicks fans and Mikal Bridges since he’s been on the team, Bridges wants everyone to know he understands. And he isn’t bothered by it.
“There might be times — I've been here for two years, and I feel like they've been on me a little bit,’’ Bridges said Tuesday, a day after the Knicks suffered their first loss in the series — and in 46 days — 115-111 in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden.
“But the thing is, obviously some can be extreme, but the real fans, there's nothing else you want more [than to hear from them] because I know personally ... if I'm going through some struggle, I know I'm trying to do whatever in my power to be better. They stand on me and they want better, so they're going to demand it. I’ve got nothing wrong with tough love.’’
Bridges, who was a major contributor during the Knicks’ 13-game winning streak in the playoffs, was not the same in Game 3. He scored just two points, on 1-for-5 shooting, and his one field goal came in the final seconds of the third quarter.
“I played a terrible game, not playing defense well, fouling, being in foul trouble,’’ Bridges said. “I know, personally, I’ve got to be better. I know I'm going to do whatever it takes to be ready for Game 4.’’
The fans didn’t get on Bridges Monday night. He had certainly earned the right to have an off night after how well he’d played in the win streak. But they pretty much had wanted him benched after he failed to score in the loss to Atlanta in Game 3 of the first round series, which put them behind in the series, 2-1.
Coach Mike Brown, though, stuck with Bridges, and the Knicks won three straight to close out the Hawks, swept Philadelphia in the second round and Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals, and won the first two games of the Finals in San Antonio against the Spurs. In those 13 games, Bridges averaged 16.3 points and shot 62% from the field, including the closeout game against Atlanta when he shot 10-for-12; Game 1 against Philly where he shot 7-for-10 (he shot 30-for-47 in the series); Games 2 and 3 against Cleveland when he shot 9-for-12 and 11-for-15, and Game 2 against the Spurs, when he shot 8-for-13, including 4-for-6 from three-point range.
Brown was asked Tuesday how he approaches messaging his players after a loss like Monday. The Knicks hadn’t had one since April 23.
“Just telling the guys the truth,’’ Brown said. “Not just verbally, but it doesn't matter if it's Jalen [Brunson], KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns], OG [Anunoby], Mika. We'll show them what we feel we need to show them on film. Then we'll walk through certain things to make sure that the spacing's right, the timing's right of our execution.’’
Brunson promised the Knicks, as a team, will be better in Game 4 Wednesday than they were in Game 3. And, he said, they’ll have each other’s backs.
“No matter what the situation is, we're going to stick together,’’ Brunson said. “We're going to execute, we're going to be better. That's just how our mindset has to be going forward.
"You never really know what the situation's going to be. You never know how the script is going to play out. As long as we have each other's back and we keep fighting, that's what we hope for.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
