Will the Knicks ‘Iron Man’ Guard Step Up, or Will He Be Gone in the 26-27 Season?
The New York Knicks secured a pivotal victory in Game Four of the NBA Playoffs opening round, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 114-98 to even the momentum. Despite the double-digit win, the narrative surrounding the team remains tense as critics argue the series should not be this competitive. While stars like Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart have maintained their postseason intensity, and Karl-Anthony Towns recently tallied a triple-double in Game Three, the spotlight has shifted toward the struggles of Mikal Bridges. Now in his eighth season, the veteran wing has looked out of sync, raising concerns about whether he is merely enduring a cold streak or if his fit within the roster is flawed as the team enters a critical win-now window.
The expectations for Bridges were monumental following the blockbuster trade in June 2024, when the New York Knicks sent five first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets to acquire him. The deal was designed to reunite the "Nova Knicks" and build a championship-caliber core capable of a deep run toward the 2025 NBA Finals. Having been a defensive anchor during a previous trip to the finals with the Phoenix Suns, Bridges was viewed as the ultimate three-and-D piece. However, his tenure in the Big Apple has been characterized as consistent but rarely spectacular. Operating primarily as a shooting guard, he has averaged roughly 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists, but those numbers have dipped significantly under the bright lights of the postseason.
The primary issue lies in offensive stagnation and a sudden inability to space the floor. Bridges was held scoreless in Game Three, finishing with a glaring minus-26 plus-minus rating that contributed heavily to the Knicks falling behind. In the modern NBA, a starting shooting guard must provide reliable outside shooting, yet Bridges has struggled with his shot, often settling for contested mid-range attempts or driving into traffic with hopes of drawing a foul. His legendary "Ironman" streak of 638 consecutive games is now being questioned. Analysts wonder if the physical toll of never missing a game is finally catching up to him, particularly as the intensity of playoff basketball demands a higher level of explosive energy.
As the series shifts back to Madison Square Garden for Game Five, the pressure on head coach Mike Brown to adjust the rotation is mounting. In the last two outings, the minutes for Bridges plummeted from 37 to just 19, with Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson seeing increased time at the shooting guard and small forward positions during late-game scenarios. If the production does not improve immediately, the coaching staff may be forced to move Mikal Bridges to the second unit to salvage the season. With a potential Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers looming, the New York Knicks must resolve their identity crisis on the wing before their championship aspirations vanish.
