The Knicks are currently stumbling through a rough patch that feels entirely self-inflicted, having dropped back-to-back games in a fashion that leaves fans scratching their heads.
The most recent blunder, a dispiriting 111–99 blowout loss to the Atlanta Hawks, exposed flaws that go far deeper than the injury report.
Sure, playing without Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson turns the paint into a vulnerable sector, but this roster was constructed to weather those exact storms. The issue right now isn’t a lack of bodies; it is a baffling lack of urgency from the team’s purported stars until the game is already slipping away.
Mikal Bridges Needs to Stop Being Polite and Start Scoring
The primary culprit in this passive approach has been Mikal Bridges, whose recent playstyle shift is becoming a legitimate strategic problem.
In the loss to Atlanta, Bridges was virtually invisible offensively for three quarters, barely looking at the rim while the Hawks built their lead. Then, in a frantic attempt to play hero, he uncorked 10 shots in the fourth quarter alone. While the late-game aggression is appreciated, waiting until the house is already on fire to locate the fire extinguisher is not a winning formula for a team with championship aspirations.
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Efficiency Is Great, But Aggression Is Mandatory
On paper, Bridges is having a solid statistical season, averaging 16.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and a career-high 4.4 assists per game. His efficiency is pristine, shooting 51.7% from the field and a blistering 40.9% from three-point range, numbers that usually indicate an All-Star caliber campaign.
However, these stats mask a frustrating reality: he has evolved into a deferential facilitator rather than the lethal slasher the Knicks thought they were acquiring. He is picking his spots so carefully that he often blends into the background for long stretches, acting more like a high-end “3-and-D” role player than a cornerstone scorer.
The Iron Man Dilemma: Pacing vs. Impact
There is a theory that Bridges, one of the NBA’s few true “Iron Men,” is consciously altering his game to preserve his body for the grueling demands of a season. By floating on the perimeter and facilitating, he avoids the physical toll of driving into the paint and absorbing contact at the rim. While durability is his best ability, the Knicks didn’t trade a mountain of draft capital for a guy who just shows up; they traded for a guy who dominates.
The team desperately needs him to rediscover his slashing identity in the first half of games to set the tone, rather than conserving energy for a fourth-quarter comeback that might never materialize. If the Knicks want to stop this skid, Bridges has to realize that his health is only valuable if his presence is actually felt on the scoreboard before the final buzzer looms.