In a crucial moment of the first round of the NBA playoffs, Tobias Harris of the Detroit Pistons encountered Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks. Harris, attempting to attack the basket, was blocked by OG Anunoby, also of the Knicks. Josh Hart recovered the ball and assisted Bridges, who, after dribbling, performed a spectacular dunk over Cade Cunningham.
That’s a man’s dunk!
Ian Eagle, Commentator
This play, which involved Bridges’ defensive closeout, Anunoby’s block, and Bridges’ dunk, reflected the Knicks’ vision for their duo: defend everyone and be specialists in court spacing, punishing opponents from the corners.
The arrival of Bridges and Anunoby, both 28 and 27 years old respectively, entailed risks and a high cost. The Knicks gave up five first-round picks to acquire Bridges and signed Anunoby to a $212 million contract, the largest in franchise history. While some criticized the investment, the Knicks now have a great opportunity to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years.
In the game, Bridges, known as the “iron man” of the league for his record of consecutive games, is often seen with ice packs on his knees. On December 11, after the Knicks’ loss against the Atlanta Hawks, Bridges needed rest. Bridges had to defend 50 blocks, the most any NBA player faced in a game that season.
Before joining the Knicks, Bridges was a runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, and often defended the opposing team’s top scorers. However, in his first season with the Knicks, coach Tom Thibodeau used him as a primary defender, to protect Jalen Brunson, who handled the ball more than any other player in the NBA.
In January, Bridges faced 25 screens per game, the most in the league. In addition, the Knicks were adapting to Karl-Anthony Towns as their defender, which led teams to test New York’s new additions on defense. The strategy worked for the most part. In November, New York’s defense ranked 21st in the league, and although it improved in December, it was still in 15th place, a significant drop.
Offensive struggles also affected Bridges. In the 16-game stretch between November 1 and December 1, he shot only six free throws, after averaging nearly four per game the previous season with the Nets. This contrasted with the adaptation of Anunoby, who arrived from Toronto in December 2023.
It takes time. It’s like with rookies. People can be really good at first, or people can develop and get better at some other point. You never know what that inflection point is.
Jalen Brunson
Despite everything, Bridges showed signs of adaptation, and his performance of 41 points against the San Antonio Spurs was an example. He also demonstrated his ability to score in crucial moments, securing victories against the Nets and the Hawks. Bridges and Anunoby improved their offense, fueled by Brunson’s injury.
When Brunson was injured against the Los Angeles Lakers, a void opened up in the Knicks’ offense. Bridges took on a more important role in ball-handling and improved his mid-range game, which raised his scoring average from 17 to 20.5 points per night. Anunoby also significantly increased his performance, going from 16.5 to almost 23 points per game with greater efficiency.
Our style of play obviously highlights Jalen and KAT. I think we can sometimes highlight OG and Mikal a bit more.
Josh Hart
Thibodeau values Bridges and Anunoby for their defense, especially in critical moments of the games. In the series against the Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics only scored 13% of their shots in decisive moments, thanks to the Knicks’ defense.
You’re asking players, particularly in five-out situations, to come in to protect the paint and also go out to cover the 3-point line. And then, when the ball is shot, to go and rebound.
Tom Thibodeau
There is a possibility that the forwards are the key for the Knicks in the series with Boston. When they play well, it’s hard to beat them. If New York can get enough from their wings to eliminate Boston, and become the favorite to win the East, the entire cost of Bridges and Anunoby will have been worth it for the Knicks.
