The New York Knicks were one of the busiest organizations in the past offseason. After acquiring Mikal Bridges to complete the Nova Knicks squad, they sent one of them away to bring in Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But fans might have to wait a while before the Knicks get it together. They are just 11-8 and trail the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference standings. Many critics have attributed the team’s struggles to Bridges not playing like he was worth five first-round picks, and fellow Villanova University product Josh Hart came to his defense.
Josh Hart defends the most criticized player on the Knicks: ‘The media and people are killing him’
The New York Knicks were one of the busiest organizations in the past offseason. After acquiring Mikal Bridges to complete the Nova Knicks squad, they sent one of them away to bring in Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But fans might have to wait a while before the Knicks get it together. They are just 11-8 and trail the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference standings. Many critics have attributed the team’s struggles to Bridges not playing like he was worth five first-round picks, and fellow Villanova University product Josh Hart came to his defense.
“The media and people are killing him,” Hart said when asked how Mikal was handling the situation. “He’s in a new situation where he’s in a place where he’s been 18 games in a different role that he’s played the last four years. It’s our job to get him going.
“All the other B.S. about what we gave up, it means nothing. If we make the championship, ain’t nobody give a damn about how many picks we gave up. We can give up 15 picks, it don’t matter. At the end of the day, we’re trying to win a championship. He’s gonna be a key piece of that.”
Josh Hart’s full take on the Mikal situation:
“…we give up 15 picks, it don’t matter…” pic.twitter.com/SwOQSNbh3k
— TownsMuse (@TownsMuse) November 29, 2024
Taking responsibility for getting Bridges going
According to the outspoken swingman, it is his and his teammates’ responsibility to help Bridges get comfortable in New York. Hart spoke up against nitpicking what the former All-Defensive First Team selection has been doing wrong and is focusing instead on trying to build him up.
It’s difficult not to notice Bridges’ shortcomings so far as a Knick, though. While his field-goal percentage of 46.0 percent is respectable, he is shooting less efficiently than his fellow starters, Hart, Towns, OG Anunoby, and Jalen Brunson.
Perhaps the most egregious of Mikal’s faults is his inability to hit open 3-pointers. He is connecting on a career-worst 30.8 percent from beyond the arc. It’s unclear if it has had something to do with his decision to change his shot mechanics.
Still, even if Bridges is floundering a bit on offense, his defense should more than make up for it. However, that has not been the case, as quicker opponents have regularly been able to blow by him. The 28-year-old forward has gone from a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in the 2021-22 season to one of the Knicks’ worst defenders in terms of defensive rating.
Finals experience
Despite what’s happening, New York has no reason to panic. As Hart said, it’s still too early in the regular season, giving the team enough time to turn things around.
Besides, Bridges is a winner and is one of the only two Knicks in this campaign to play heavy minutes in the Finals.
He and Cameron Payne were part of the Phoenix Suns’ Finals in 2021 run before the Milwaukee Bucks prevented them from securing a title. Anunoby suited up for a championship squad, the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors, but didn’t get to suit up in the playoffs due to an emergency appendectomy.
So, Bridges has the task of helping his current teammates reach a stage they have never been to before.
