Mikal Bridges silences critics by helping Knicks win NBA title
Ernie Johnson Jr. interviews Josh Hart (left) and Mikal Bridges (right) of the Knicks after the victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. Credit: Getty Images/Gregory Shamus
It was two summers ago in July when Mikal Bridges was traded across the East River to the Knicks for five first-round draft picks. The shock of the deal came from the Nets’ haul as much as Bridges rejoining former Villanova teammates Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson and, for a few months, Donte DiVincenzo.
Any time Bridges struggled or seemed like a fourth scoring option, fans grumbled about whether the price was worth it. Those feelings ended for good on Saturday, though, as Bridges’ Knicks celebrated their first NBA championship since 1973.
After their 94-90 win over the Spurs in Game 5, fans no longer questioned if he was worth all the picks the Knicks gave up. As Bridges headed down the tunnel at Frost Bank Center shortly after the Knicks clinched the title, fans yelled a simple message, borrowing the words general manager Les Snead made famous at the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl victory parade in 2022: “[Expletive] them picks!’’
“Just very grateful,” Bridges said. “ . . . But the times I’ve been struggling, the fans were on me. The thing is about me, I want to always be better.”
Ariel Hukporti told the media that his teammate was “too humble.”
Bridges was an out-of-place fit on the Nets for parts of two seasons. He was a No. 1 scoring option for them who was better suited as a role player. His talents as a shooter and defender were pushed to their limits as he tried to carry a rebuilding team.
He took on a better role with the Knicks, but the criticism got louder when his play suffered. It intensified in a Game 3 loss to the Hawks in the first round of the playoffs when he was benched in the second half.
But starting with Game 6 of the first-round series against the Hawks, Bridges caught fire and the Knicks stopped losing. In a nine-game stretch, he shot 62.8% from the field and averaged 18.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals.
He scored 20 points in Game 2 of the NBA Finals and had 14 in Game 5 to help the Knicks close out the Spurs.
“I appreciate the tough love,” he said. “I know some fans might be a little bit crazier than others, but the ones that truly care and want me to be better, don’t stop now. Just keep pushing me.”
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
