For the second consecutive sport, Mikal Bridges struggled from the sphere.
And this time, his points had been compounded defensively as Thunder star — and MVP candidate — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander erupted for 39 factors through the Knicks’ 126-101 loss Friday.
Bridges shot 0-for-9 from the sphere — with seven of these 3-pointers — throughout 32 minutes and has linked on simply 4-of-27 pictures the previous two video games.
After a powerful stretch ignited his season after a sluggish begin, he hit one other roadblock, along with struggling as one of many Knicks’ defenders tasked with making an attempt to include Gilgeous-Alexander.
And this low level ended with Bridges’ first sport the place he didn’t rating a subject purpose whereas enjoying not less than six minutes since April 13, 2021.
“I just gotta make them,” Bridges mentioned. “I think I’m just short on a lot of them probably these past couple games. I just gotta put a little more lift probably on it.”
Bridges missed one in all his 3s early within the sport as each groups struggled to attain, and he added one other missed shot later within the first half.
Gilgeous-Alexander, although, dazzled all through with an early dunk, a fast layup to beat the buzzer on the finish of the primary quarter and a troublesome baseline jumper whereas blanketed by a Knicks defender — whereas additionally forcing a Jalen Brunson turnover and threading a behind-the-back go throughout a later possession.
“He’s crafty,” Bridges mentioned of Gilgeous-Alexander. “Real crafty. Just real slithery, that’s all we say about him. Like, he just get around you and it’s tough.”
The Knicks, for the primary time in 2025, lastly had their complete rotation accessible.
Miles McBride, who missed the final 5 video games with a hamstring damage, performed after being listed as questionable getting into the evening.
Karl-Anthony Cities (knee) performed after being listed as questionable earlier than warm-ups, too.
McBride’s damage occurred pregame main into the Knicks’ Jan. 1 sport in opposition to the Jazz, upending the younger guard’s probability to start out with Brunson additionally sidelined that sport as a consequence of calf tightness.
However McBride’s damage didn’t subside within the aftermath of the Knicks’ win, forcing the previous second-round decide — who inked a discount of a three-year, $13 million extension final yr — to overlook their subsequent 4 video games after the calendar flipped to January.
And on a group navigating a depth difficulty, with Cameron Payne and Landry Shamet solely getting restricted minutes off the bench and the annual Tom Thibodeau minutes debate restarting, the Knicks wanted McBride.
Earlier than his damage, he averaged 9.8 factors, 3.0 assists and a couple of.6 rebounds per sport in 24.5 minutes — essentially the most enjoying time of his profession.
Isaiah Hartenstein collected six factors, 9 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals throughout his first sport again on the Backyard since signing an $87 million cope with OKC in free company.
The Knicks performed a tribute video to him through the first timeout, and he obtained loads of cheers from the followers throughout pregame introductions and following the video.
