
New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges, who was traded from Brooklyn to New York over the summer, has been adapting to a fresh set of responsibilities on both offense and defense this season.
As detailed by Chris Herring for ESPN.com, these changes have required Bridges to adjust his game in notable ways. Offensively, the player’s role has shifted significantly compared to his time with the Nets.
His ball-handling duties have decreased, with his touches dropping by nearly 20%, leading to the lowest usage rate he’s experienced since his last full season in Phoenix.
Defensively, the adjustments have been equally striking. Instead of guarding larger wings, Bridges is now frequently tasked with defending smaller guards, often at the point of attack.
This shift means he spends more time navigating screens and pursuing quicker players.
“Teams wanted to try attacking him, because it was a different spot for him; especially early on,” one Western Conference scout told Herring.
“If you got past him initially, you could force all sorts of aggressive rotations because the team was still getting used to having (Karl-Anthony) Towns at the rim. And the collective trust didn’t look like it was there.”
Despite these challenges, Bridges has started to find his rhythm, particularly on offense. After an uneven start to the season, his performance has improved considerably since December.
Over that stretch, he has averaged 20.0 points per game while shooting an impressive .523 from the field, .385 from beyond the arc, and .757 from the free-throw line.
Tuesday’s game marks the Knicks’ first visit to Brooklyn this season, allowing Bridges to reunite with his former team. Reflecting on the matchup, Bridges expressed his eagerness to return.
“It’ll be just good to be back,” he said on Monday, as quoted by Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “To see my teammates and the coaching staff that was there for a couple months before I got traded. See the staff and everybody. Good energy.”
Knicks Notes: Bridges, Towns, Hart, Shamet, Robinson https://t.co/bF11jQhHtT pic.twitter.com/DiHSbfPeV7
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) January 21, 2025