Mikal Bridges with the BANG! BANG! game-winning 3 at the buzzer in OT. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.
In a crazy dogfight of a game that had an NBA season-high 42 lead changes, Mikal Bridges hit a 3 at the buzzer to turn a loss into a win as Mike Breen screamed BANG! BANG! on the broadcast. NY 114 Portland 113 in Overtime on a Wednesday night in Portland.
The Knicks appeared to have the game won near the end of regulation, after Karl-Anthony Towns hit back-to-back 3’s to put the Knicks ahead 104-98 with 1:16 left. But Scoot Henderson bricked in a 3 off the backboard, and then got generous calls from the refs on two drives inside in the final minute, one resulting in a drive-and-1, and the other 2 free throws to tie the game with 3.1 seconds left.
The Knicks appeared to have the game won in OT — when, up 111-110 with 7.1 seconds left and with the ball — Josh Hart was called for moving along the baseline while trying to inbound the ball — something you’re not allowed to do. Portland got the ball and Deni Avdija scored on a drive-and-1 to give Portland the lead with 3.1 seconds left. That set the stage for Mikal Bridges’ stunner out of a timeout.
“Great play drawn up out of a timeout,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines, “And great job by Mikal Bridges recognizing time, situation and the moment and delivering a big time shot.”
“Huge… huge… huge,” said coach Tom Thibodeau about Bridges play. “Timely shots all down the stretch, big shot obviously the game winner — huge; KAT those two big 3’s to give us the lead. We had a lot of guys — OG’s all around play, he’s been on a roll on both sides of the ball; scoring; his defense is through the roof; his hustle plays. Our defense is propelling us right now. I think we forced 25 turnovers for 31 pts and we needed every one of them. The rebounding we have to be better; I think Mitch each game gives us more and more. And that’s a good sign for us. Deuce was terrific — I think he had 3 or 4 steals but his activity overall was tremendous.
“Josh didn’t make shots but he did so many other things that helped us win,” continued Thibs. “We hit him in the pocket he made the extra pass — got us open 3’s from that. He rebounded the ball; 9 assists. If you don’t shoot it well just do other things to help the team win. I thought Cam (Payne) gave us good minutes, Landry gave us good minutes, Precious in the first half gave us really good minutes. We had a number of guys step up and do a really good job.”
“We liked that play because there’s multiple options to read on it,” noted Thibs when asked about the final play call. “If they’re switching everything there’s an easy opportunity there,” said coach Tom Thibodeau. “And we knew they were playing their 5’s on Josh so we knew we could get something good on it.”
NY improves to 42-23; Portland drops to 28-39.
1. Improved Portland Team Played Even with NY All Night
The Portland Trailblazers — coached by 2nd year coach Chauncy Billups — came in at 28-38 but that was due to them having lost 4 in a row coming into the evening. They had been 28-34 which was a vast improvement to their 13-28 start to the season. Before the 4-game losing streak they had a 10-1 streak followed by a 5-5 stretch — so 15-6 over that period.
One of the reasons for Portland’s improved performance has been the play of Deni Avdija, the 24-year-old, 6’9 forward who has thrown down a bunch of triple-doubles on the season and is averaging 15.3 ppg. Portland acquired Avdija from Washington in the summer for Malcolm Brogdon, Carlton Carrington, Portland’s 2029 1st-round pick, and two 2nd-round picks. Avdija is an Israeli who was the #9 pick in the 2020 draft.
Portland is led by Anfernee Simons in the backcourt, averaging 19.3 ppg, and Shaedon Sharpe, a 6’6 shooting guard who was the #7 overall pick in the 2022 draft, averaging 17.5 ppg.
The Trail Blazers also have Scoot Henderson, the #3 overall pick in the 2023 draft, coming off the bench and averaging 13.0 ppg. Point guard Jerami Grant — who average 19.2, 20.5, and 21.0 ppg the last 3 seasons — comes off the bench this year for Portland, averaging 14.4 ppg.
The Blazers also start Toumani Camara, a 24-year-old 6’8 forward born in Belgium who was a 2nd round pick in 2023 out of Dayton.
DeAndre Ayton averaging 14 ppg and 10.2 rpg — is out injured for Portland — but in his stead they play monster big man, Donovan Clingan, the 7’2 center who was the #7 overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Connecticut. He’s averaging 6 ppg in 17.6 mpg as a rookie but is BIG — as big or bigger than Mitchell Robinson.
2. NY Up 26-21 After a Quarter
And Chauncey Billups has Portland playing a chippy brand of basketball in the new NBA where the refs allow the boys to be boys.
Mikal Bridges was just coming off a small controversy where he answered an interview question and said he felt coach Thibs should play the reserves more minutes to give the starters some rest — which reportedly caused Thibs to meet with Bridges before the game to clear things up.
And Bridges came out seemingly looking to show people he wasn’t at all tired — playing an aggressive brand of basketball, and ripping down rebounds. He missed his first 3 shots, but then made free throws after being fouled on a drive, and then made 2 floaters.
He was joined in scoring by Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride — starting at point with Jalen Brunson out — and Josh Hart. McBride and Hart made consecutive 3’s late in the 1st quarter to put NY up 20-17. An OG Anunoby jumper gave NY a 22-17 lead.
KAT starts things off with a bang! pic.twitter.com/6JTmsCGp6S
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 13, 2025
A Landry Shamet pullup and a Mitchell Robinson score inside gave NY a 26-21 lead after a quarter.
3. Close at the Half; Tied After 3 Quarters
But Shaedon Sharpe went on a scoring spree to start the 2nd quarter and give Portland the lead. Toumani Camara was being a pain in the ass as well, and Avdija was hitting 3’s and drives inside. The refs were letting physical play go and the game stayed tight.
Mikal Bridges hit a 3 to give NY a 40-38 lead, then stole the ball from Scoot Henderson, and hit a 16-foot pullup off a pass from Mitchell Robinson to give NY a 42-38 lead.
Mikal knocking ‘em down pic.twitter.com/79CbkVzusE
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 13, 2025
Bridges then hit 2 free throws off a drive the next time down, and then hit a layup for 9 straight Knick points. But Portland had answers with Sharpe dunking inside and Avdija hitting another 3. NY was up 48-46 at the half after an OG dunk with 28 seconds left in the period.
The 3rd quarter was more of the same — the two teams going back and forth exchanging the lead. Bridges again led the Knick attack, helped by OG, Hart, and KAT. The game was tied 77-77 entering the 4th quarter.
4. KAT 3’s Give Knicks Advantage in Final Minute
Bridges — again — got the Knicks off to a good start with a jumper to start the 4th — but Portland came right back — a Donovan Clingan layup and Scoot Henderson 3 gave Portland a 3-pt lead.
The lead kept swinging back and forth all period — almost on every possession. NY pulled out to a 4-pt lead with 4:54 left, but Avdija hit a deuce and a 3 and Portland had a 96-95 lead with 3:50 left. Bridges hit a deuce to give NY back the lead. It was like that.
Until Karl-Anthony Towns hit a 3 with 1:58 left to give NY a 101-98 lead, and then after Sharpe missed a drive inside, NY got the rebound, OG missed a 3, but Hart got the offensive rebound and fed Bridges who fed KAT for ANOTHER 3 and NY was up by 6 with 1:17 left.
KAT. CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/WaYq8avjyj
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 13, 2025
5. Portland Sends It to OT
But Portland came right back — a Scoot Henderson 3. Bridges answered with a deuce and NY still had a commanding 5-pt lead with 47 seconds left.
That’s when the refs seemed to come in and help a bit — Scoot Henderson with a drive-AND-1 — the foul very iffy as Henderson initiated contact — but Henderson got a free throw and made it and it was a 2-pt game.
The Knicks couldn’t score and Portland got the ball back with 7 seconds left. Again Scoot Henderson drove — and missed an inside shot with Mitchell Robinson hovering over him — but the ref called a foul on Robinson on minimal contact even though his hands were straight up. Henderson made both free throws for a tie game.
McBride got a 3-pt heave up at the buzzer but was short.
6. Knicks Had It Won in OT; Portland Goes Ahead
And then to OT — where the Knicks without Brunson would need to find a way to win. Again the lead went back and forth — Henderson with a drive, McBride with a 3, Clingan with a drive, Bridges with a pullup to give NY a 111-110 lead.
The score stayed that way for 2 full minutes as the teams couldn’t score on either end — and it came down to the final 15 seconds, Portland with the ball. Scoot Henderson drove inside but KAT and McBride converged, McBride blocking the shot — and NY had the ball with 7.2 seconds left.
All NY had to do was inbound the ball, and hit the free throws as Portland would be forced to foul. But Portland played a frenetic Defense and Josh Hart, inbounding, moved a few feet to get a cleaner angle to pass the ball to McBride. The refs called him for traveling.
Portland got the ball back — and Avdija drove inside — BLOCKED by Mitchell Robinson — but Avdija got his own rebound and put the ball in, fouled by Robinson. A 3-pt play and Portland 113-111 lead with 3.1 seconds left.
The crowd — split all night between Portland fans and visiting Knick fans — went nuts; the Portland contingent. Timeout NY.
7. Bridges Wins It with a BANG! BANG! 3 at Buzzer
And then the final play — NY down 2 with 3.1 seconds left — Bridges inbounding to Hart, who set a screen and dished it back to Bridges for a 3 from the circle. “BANG! BANG!” — screamed Breen on the broadcast.
MIKAL BRIDGES FOR THE WIN!!!!! pic.twitter.com/9TfE1Bm3dQ
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 13, 2025
Etcetera
Jamaal Crawford was on the broadcast again with Breen — and did another Great job. Not only great analysis but a lot of Walt Frazier-isms thrown in casually throughout the evening, like “pressure makes diamonds” when talking about play in the 4th quarter and OT.
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401705519