Mikal Bridges is the usual Mike Brown is imploring the remainder of his Knicks roster to imitate.
The Knicks coach raved about Bridges’ “next-play velocity” following the crew’s 113-108 win over the Hornets on Friday night time at Madison Sq. Backyard within the preseason finale. That “next-play velocity” represents his “unbelievable” means to instantly transition to protection after an offensive possession ends or goes awry.
“If a turnover occurs or an offensive rebound occurs, he doesn’t hesitate [or] take an additional step in the wrong way of the ball,” Brown mentioned. “Straight away, his change of course and the flip of the swap from offense to protection is superb. Most likely top-of-the-line I’ve been round. For him to get a few blocks the way in which he did, that’s only a testomony to what he can do defensively.
“I hope all people is watching these small issues that don’t all the time present up within the stat sheet. He’s a first-team all-defender. It’s evident. There’s no query in my thoughts what he does out on the ground. It’s lots of the little issues that he does that I hope don’t go unnoticed.”
It has been a focus all through coaching camp and the preseason. Brown is within the midst of reworking the Knicks offense into one that’s a lot sooner and free-flowing, one that’s continually trying to push the tempo with a precedence on ball motion over isolation.
That, naturally, will possible result in a rise in turnovers, particularly because the Knicks alter. Shortly pivoting to protection shall be paramount.
Apart from Bridges, Brown was not happy along with his crew in that regard Friday. He noticed his gamers sulk and put their heads down after turnovers and missed pictures, resulting in simple 3-pointers or foul pictures for the Hornets on the opposite finish.
“We emphasize it extra,” Bridges mentioned. “He obtained me actually forgetting the [last] play and getting again, getting the entire crew on that. That’s the way it’s alleged to be. He’s encouraging it each single day, placing stress on us to do it each single time.
“He’s charting it, getting on us after we’re not doing it. Listening to him, he’s pushing us to the subsequent stage.”
Bridges is the mannequin, however Brown has additionally appeared to different sports activities to get his message throughout. One instance got here from the NFL, when then-Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf chased down Cardinals security Budda Baker after an interception throughout a 2021 recreation. Baker had picked off Russell Wilson’s go close to his personal finish zone and appeared to have a transparent path in entrance of him for a pick-six. However Metcalf, with out hesitation, started sprinting after Baker down the sector and finally caught him to stop a landing.
When most receivers would have taken their foot off the fuel, Metcalf solely accelerated. The identical must be true for the Knicks in defensive transitions.
“You all the time admire issues like that,” Bridges mentioned. “You bought lots of guys that need to do it anyway. Him emphasizing it, we want it.”
It’s not simply Bridges’ “next-play velocity” that has stood out this preseason. Brown’s offensive system is one that ought to intensify Bridges’ strengths and produce out the most effective of him. With Jalen Brunson enjoying much less in isolation and extra off-the-ball, it ought to get the Knicks’ periphery scorers extra concerned. As a substitute of being relegated to a largely catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter within the corners, Bridges ought to have extra alternatives as a ball-handler to assault the rim and get to the midrange in transitions and with the protection off-balance.
In 4 preseason video games, Bridges performed 23.1 minutes a recreation and averaged 12.8 factors on 50 % taking pictures from the sector and 35 % from 3-point vary. Expanded out to a full workload, these numbers would definitely be optimum.
After an extremely up-and-down first season with the Knicks, they’re betting that there’s one other stage for Bridges to succeed in, giving him a four-year, $150 million extension. To date, the early returns are promising.
“I really feel extra at dwelling,” Bridges mentioned. “Everyone being right here, being on this enviornment, being round all you guys, it seems like dwelling. It’s good.”
