00:00Mikel Bridges was supposed to be one of the final pieces, a two-way wing who
00:04could defend the league's best scorers and provide consistent offense on the
00:08other end. But as the Knicks pushed towards the playoffs, Bridges' game has
00:12hit a rough patch. The question now isn't just about a slump, it's whether the
00:16Knicks can count on him when the moment matters most.
00:23Mikel Bridges has built his career on consistency, durability, defense, and
00:28efficient scoring. But over the last several weeks, his offense has been far
00:32more inconsistent. So in this video, we'll break down what may be behind his
00:36recent struggles, including one stat that could be playing a big role in his
00:41offensive production, his free throw rate, and what it could mean for the Knicks
00:45both now and possibly this offseason. To help break it down, I spoke with Knicks
00:50Film School film analyst DJ Zulo. DJ, when you watch Mikel Bridges on film during
00:55this recent stretch where he struggled, what stands out to you the most about
00:59what's been going on with his game?
01:01I think he is a product of the offense not functioning as it was in the first
01:08few months of the season. So there's certain players on the Knicks team that
01:12are bellwethers for how the offense as a whole is operating. And, you know,
01:18Bridges did have an increase in on-ball reps early in the year. That's kind of
01:23tailed off as the season has moved along. And he needs to sort of be spoonfed a
01:30little more. He's turned into basically a play finisher at this point, whether
01:34that's the corner three or transition. There are very few opportunities for him
01:39on the ball to sort of get himself going. The first thing that stands out is
01:44the scoring decline. The drop in production has been noticeable, but the
01:48issue may not just be about how many points he's scoring. It's about how he's
01:53getting those points. One of the quieter storylines in Bridges' game this season
01:57has been how rarely he gets to the free throw line. For high-level wings, free
02:02throws are often the most reliable source of offense. They slow the game down, they
02:07create easy points, and they help players score even when their shot isn't
02:11falling. When Bridges isn't getting to the line, his scoring becomes far more
02:15dependent on jump shots. And when those jump shots stop falling, the offense can
02:20start to look very different. So DJ, from a film perspective, do you think this
02:26with Bridges is simply a shooting slump? Or are there things that you're seeing
02:29in the way that Bridges is attacking or not attacking, which we haven't seen a
02:33lot of him in terms of the basket? Which one is it? Is it a shooting slump or him
02:37just not attacking the basket? Or the way he's attacking the basket that could be a
02:41problem?
02:43Yeah, I think it's the attacking of the basket and the lack of physicality has been a major
02:49issue since he was brought on board. I sort of view that as baked into the Mikel Bridges'
02:56experience at this point. I don't think we're going to see a different player in terms of
03:01physicality, in terms of foul drawing. I think we've seen enough to understand these are deficiencies
03:06in his game. And it's hard for me to believe that there's going to be a market improvement
03:13in that area. I do think he needs to figure out how to find those windows with his movement.
03:17And I think when I talk about there is a lack of fluidity with the offense and him being
03:24hurt by that on an individual basis, part of that is also him finding those cracks in the defense.
03:31Part of the story may also be role. Bridges isn't always the primary ball handler or
03:36creator in this offense. And that can sometimes lead to long stretches where he's mostly spacing
03:42the floor. And when a player is trying to find rhythm, touches matter. So does confidence.
03:48Even during the slump, Bridges still brings value. Strong off-ball defense, length, versatility,
03:54and the ability to guard multiple positions. And that defense is a big reason why the Knicks
04:00continue to trust him.
04:02Okay, DJ. So looking ahead to the offseason, the Knicks, they're expected to become a much
04:06more expensive team. How important is it for Bridges to show that he can be a reliable
04:11offensive piece moving forward?
04:13If we are seeing signs of Mikael Bridges maybe falling out of favor with the head coach,
04:18if he doesn't figure out how to find his game before the end of the season, then he would be
04:24probably the most likely Nick of their core group that would be moved based on the salary,
04:32based on him being still at a point in his career that he should have value with another
04:36team. But he still can be a core piece to this group for the next two, three years.
04:41I do want to make sure I state that because this is a stretch of games, six, seven games that
04:47he has
04:47not performed well. But we've seen him with his calming personality and the fact that he doesn't
04:52get really too high or too low could have a benefit to him just staying the course and having a
04:58better
04:58finish this year and then carrying that over to the playoffs. That is very much still in the cards.
05:02So we could be looking at this in a couple of weeks and having a very different conversation
05:07about Mikael Bridges' future with the Knicks. But right now, you would have to view this roster
05:11crunch, the salary crunch, as him being one of the more likely pieces if the Knicks really do need to
05:17shed some salary of him maybe going outwards. So the Knicks, they're entering a very important
05:21offseason with a roster that is expected to get more expensive. Every player's role becomes part of
05:27the equation. And that means the question isn't just about Bridges' recent slump. It's about what
05:33role he plays in the team's future. The Knicks, they don't need Mikael Bridges to be their number one
05:39scorer, but they do need him to be the player they traded five first-round picks for and gave $150
05:45million
05:45extension too. They need him to be a reliable two-way wing, a defender who can guard anyone,
05:52and a player who can create offense when it matters. Slumps happen. The real question is
05:57whether this is just a rough stretch or a sign of a bigger decision the Knicks may have to make.
06:03If Mikael Bridges can rediscover his offensive rhythm, the Knicks become a much more dangerous
06:09team heading into the playoffs. But if the struggles continue, the Knicks may have some very important
06:13questions to answer this summer.
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