December 25th 2025 at 10:39am CST by Dana Gauruder
Knicks wing Mikal Bridges always answers the bell, which makes him stand out among NBA players. Bridges is the only current player to appear in 500 consecutive games and he’ll reach 638 consecutive games played if he doesn’t miss a regular season game this season.
Bridges detailed his pregame routine to the New York Daily News’ Kristian Winfield.
“I take advantage of the cold tubs, always get a massage before the game, the stretcher routine and everything,” Bridges said. “I think it’s just being consistent with it. It’s a long season with a lot of emotions going on. People tend to stop doing all the things. I just try to be consistent all the time and continue to do all the things that are going to get me prepared for the game.”
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Pressing defenses with quick, athletic guards can give them problems. That was a case in point during Minnesota’ nine-point victory on Tuesday, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes. “It’s gonna be hard to win on the road if you have 19 turnovers for 22 points off those turnovers,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “And part of it — those turnovers led to easy baskets in transition. … Give Minnesota credit, because they brought a lot of physicality to the game and created a lot of those turnovers.”
Karl-Anthony Towns fouled out after his 40-point effort against the Timberwolves and was also whistled for four fouls in each of the previous two games. Schwartz notes that Towns has recorded 30 offensive fouls this year — most in the NBA, and six more than the next highest. “He just has to continue to try to not pick up cheap fouls,” Brown said. “Had a couple of cheap fouls where he led with his hands or he hooked a guy. Now, we have to sit him for X amount of minutes when he needs to be on the floor. So, 40 [points] and 13 [rebounds], it doesn’t surprise me at all, because he’s more than capable. But if you’re gonna be a great player, and I’m sure he does too, we expect more from him so he can be out on that floor.”
ICYMI, Knicks prospect James Nnaji has enrolled at Baylor. Get the details here.