Mikal Bridges, acquired in a blockbuster deal with the Nets in the offseason, played a huge role in the Knicks’ second-round series triumph over the Celtics. He averaged 14.7 points per game, including 34 total points in fourth quarters, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes.
He also made enormous defensive stops, stealing the ball away from Jaylen Brown to end Game 1 and intercepting a Jayson Tatum pass to end Game 2. Bridges is thirsting for more as the Knicks enter the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers.
“There’s more to go,” Bridges said. “We’re not done. That’s what it is. We came out there [Friday night] to play hard and handle business, but our season’s not over. We’ve got so much more to go and we play on Wednesday, so get ready to prepare for them. Whole different team and a whole new series.”
We have more on the Knicks:
- They, of course, will be looking to avenge last season’s second-round series loss to the Pacers, in which they blew a 2-0 lead. However, the Knicks were riddled with injuries by that point. In contrast, New York has all its pieces entering this series, Schwartz points out. Pace and three-point shooting will also be key components to the series, he adds.
- How did the Knicks turn into a contender? Post columnist Mike Vaccaro takes a closer look at how they were built, starting with the hires of Leon Rose as president of basketball operations and Tom Thibodeau as head coach. From a roster standpoint, the team’s zeal to sign Jalen Brunson in free agency in 2022 proved to be the pivotal decision.
- Fiery, hard-nosed wing Josh Hart has become a huge fan favorite and his popularity continues to grow, according to Vaccaro, who says the photo of Hart with a defiant look on his bloodied face after he caught an errant elbow epitomizes the toughness and grit of the team.
Knicks and Indy are play-in teams in the West. Wake me up when it’s over.
@arete18 About right. Knicks would have finished 8th and Pacers 11th in West. Silver has got to balance the conferences. It’s bad for the NBA. Gives New York fans something to talk about though. I am happy for knickersbockeral.
Pacers would have been tied for 3rd at 50-32.
EasyMoneySniper:
What in the world are you basing this on?
arete18:
Are you kidding? I think the teams in the east are absolutely better than the teams in the west. I think Oklahoma City is really good. Other than that, there’s not another team out west that would scare me.
Clowns who clown themselves…. just too easy
Minny has two thrown away Knicks. So the West must really suck …..
Probably held more truth a few years ago. This past year not quite as much.
Someone salty their team didn’t make it.
14.7 a gm isn’t enough. His 18 a gm during the season isn’t enough. Knicks have a real shot at a Chip now. Mikal has got to help Jalen with the scoring. Pacers are a team that likes to run. Knicks bench better show up. And Thibs meeds to use them. Keep the starters fresher. 4 more wins ……
Four !!!!
Mikal doesn’t need to help with scoring you have Towns to do that.
Mikal needs to help OG on defense
Only at Knick’s win the series is if you stop haliburton and Siakam.
Eight more wins. Beating Indy isn’t enough.
pacers will win
unless refs put brunson at the line more often than the entire indy squad
knicks gonna flop, drop, cry and whine their way to the ft line. nothin but a bunch of fake thug foul baiters. if they win fair and square ill be the first to congratulate them. make shots, and make stops. fair and square. but indy gonna prevail. this is their year.
You claim confidence yet you’re already making sorry excuses for why your team might lose. Knicks don’t do anything every other team does. You gotta be a hater or have strong bias to dislike these particular Knicks. You bring no real bball talk, your posts are predictably weak inflammatory drivel. I get it you’re a pacers fan but is that really all you still got at this point? You’re on repeat about flopping. Now fake thugs? You must not watch the games or understand what that term means bc it’s actually closer to what an internet troll does than to what any Knick does
Pacers are better than last year, Knicks too thanks to health. Two great but different teams, at this point it’s about execution, adjustment and survival. So who’s gonna step up the most? I’m saying them Nova boys get enough help from KAT, OG and Mitch to win a hard fought series. Hoping injuries play no role for either side. As a longtime fan it’s totally appropriate the Pacers are standing in the way
Bridges just needs to take the open ATB 3 pt shots he’s being handed, and hit them at his career level, and he’ll be right where I want him. KAT just needs to stop committing meaningless fouls, and he’ll be fine as well (I doubt IND will overplay him like BOS did). Add in some more immediacy across the board, and I think they’ll be fine.
The Pacers are a good team, but I can’t say they scare me. I think Brunson is the difference in this series.
OKC has been to 1 NBA Finals.
TWolves have never been to one …..
Knicks have been to 8 NBA Finals and won 2.
Pacers have been to zero NBA Finals. And been to 10 East Finals. And won 3 ABA Titles ……
When you know you know …..
link to yardbarker.com
Pacers lost to Lakers in the finals during their 3 peat in the 2000s. So I guess when you don’t know, you don’t know.
Yeah I guess …..
OKC v NYK in the finals… OKC wins it all!
OKC is solid and I agree as a Knicks fan. If Minny somehow pulls it off then I like the Knicks chances. If the Knicks make it to the finals, either way there will be a story line vs former players which should make it fun.
Thunder look good. Their depth is their strength. Keeps them fresh. TWolves are a good matchup imo. Both conference finals will be good games. Knicks bench scoring is what I worry about most.
Both conference finals are intriguing and agree the storylines will be fun either way if the Knicks advance. OKC seems like the clear best team left standing but don’t have huge game experience and seem to lack another closer for when defenses load up on SGA in clutch situations
If we can stay healthy and Deuce does enough with his minutes it could be enough. Mitch playing more and the double big lineup have helped with the depth issue. What I hope Thibs does is just make sure the guys are fresh enough at the ends of games. I wouldn’t mind seeing Shamet get a few minutes vs IND, now that he wouldn’t have to guard Tatum/Brown