While New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges hit a buzzer-beater to help the team beat the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, 114-113, there are still some questions surrounding the player and head coach Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks star would plead to Thibodeau about the bench getting more minutes, giving the starters a bit more rest, even saying they had a private meeting about it, but Thibodeau denied a conversation happened, garnering the response of Stephen A. Smith.
Despite Knicks' Mikal Bridges game-winner, Stephen A. Smith is worried
New York Knicks small forward Mikal Bridges (25) shoots the ball over Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) and guard Rayan Rupert (21) during the second half at Moda Center.
Soobum Im-Imagn Images
Smith was on ESPN's “First Take” after New York beat Portland and says he doesn't care about the victory and how well they're playing in overtime. He's more concerned about how the team isn't on the same page and said Thibodeau “is in trouble.”
“Tom Thibodeau is in trouble. He's in a world of trouble,” Smith said. “I don't give a damn that the New York Knicks are 6-1 in overtime games. I don't care that Mikal Bridges, because I'm a die-hard Knicks fan, and he won the game last night. Molly, Big Perk, prior to the game, Mikal Bridges revealed he had had a private meeting with Tom Thibodeau about the starters playing too many minutes and the bench playing too little. Saying, quote, ‘Sometimes it's not fun on the body.' Tom Thibodeau proceeds to play this brother 41 minutes. Put the ball in his hands, he delivered the goods, and they won the game, which is a good thing.”
“But then Tom Thibodeau refused to acknowledge that there was a one-on-one conversation,” Smith continued. “He said it never happened. That's a player that the Knicks sent five picks away for to bring to New York to pair with the superstar for the team, Jalen Brunson, his former teammate at Villanova, okay? Saying something opposite of what the coach is saying when everybody and their mother knows that Bridges is right.”
“Mikal Bridges revealed he had had a private meeting with Tom Thibodeau about the starters playing too many minutes & the bench playing too little… he's speaking [for the Knicks]. And [Thibs] says it didn't happen? That's a bad sign.”
—Stephen A. Smithpic.twitter.com/aC9Qp8Eyn5
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 13, 2025
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Stephen A. Smith on how the contradiction is a “bad sign” for Knicks
Because the Knicks coach shot down the private discussion that happened with Bridges, Smith would take the star's side, saying the incident is a “bad sign” for the team. In the win over the Trail Blazers, Bridges finished with 33 points in 41 minutes.
“Here's where Bridges has the credibility,” Smith said. “He's one of the Ironmen of the league. He's always playing. He doesn't miss games, and he doesn't play minimal minutes…When have we ever heard Mikal Bridges complain about anything, let alone minutes?”
“That's not the same page, that's not a good look for the New York Knicks,” Smith continued. “And if you got to choose between a player and the coach, under these circumstances, when you're looking at players being worn out, Mikal Bridges ain't say that for himself y'all. He's speaking for the team, and Tom Thibodeau says it didn't happen. That's a bad sign, it's a bad sign.”
New York is currently 42-23, which puts them third in the East as they next face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.