New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges started the season off strong, but now he is reverting back to the same issues that plagued his season last year.
Knicks’ Mikal Bridges has had a quiet week
In the games that Josh Hart has been out with an ankle injury, the Knicks are just 2-3. In that same span, Bridges has been ineffective offensively, averaging just 12.6 points and shooting only 30% from three.
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When Jalen Brunson missed a month last season with an ankle injury, Bridges stepped up as one of the lead options and helped continue the winning ways for them. So far this year, however, he hasn’t been able to do the same when they are shorthanded.
It doesn’t help that the team as a whole is in a shooting slump. The lack of offensive production without Hart has been very apparent, as they are missing his playmaking and transition offense.
The Knicks need Bridges to step up
Bridges started the year off very strong on both ends. He was taking more shots, playing aggressively, and being efficient from three-point range. Recently, he has abandoned that aggressive playstyle and become conservative again, and it’s hard to find a rhythm when there is no confidence in one’s abilities.
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If the Knicks want to snap out of this recent skid, they need Bridges to step up and be more assertive in the offense. Brunson has carried the load for them this season, but he can’t do it all alone. He needs the support of his teammates to also produce at a high level, otherwise wins will be hard to come by.
Bridges will look to have a big performance in the team’s biggest game of the season on Monday, when he and the Knicks take on the top-seeded Detroit Pistons on Monday.