Mikal Bridges struggled during the opening games of the New York Knicks’ first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, but head coach Mike Brown continued to trust the veteran wing by keeping him in the starting lineup.
Bridges rewarded that confidence by turning around his postseason performances late in the Atlanta series before playing a major role in New York’s second-round sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers.
“It’s always great when your coach has got trust in you,” the player said after Saturday’s practice.
Bridges also credited his teammates for continuing to support him during difficult moments.
“And teammates staying with it, keeping me confident, as well,” he said. “I think we all know the end goal is just trying to win games and do whatever it takes to win.”
The veteran forward emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes and responding positively after poor performances.
“Even in my mistakes, just try to do whatever it takes and know that I just gotta bounce back and learn from them,” Bridges said.
After going scoreless with four turnovers in Game 3 against Atlanta, Bridges has bounced back impressively.
Over the last seven games, all Knicks victories, he has averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting efficiently from the field.
Bridges also played a key defensive role against Tyrese Maxey during the Philadelphia series.
Knicks Notes: Bridges, Towns, Robinson, Layoff https://t.co/9ptOuhrzqO
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) May 18, 2026
