Dec 25, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

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Support for Mikal Bridges ‘United’ the Knicks Locker Room

After a rocky start with the New York Knicks, Mikal Bridges has been shining with standout performances in recent games.

Dec 25, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Initially struggling to meet expectations after joining the New York Knicks, forward Mikal Bridges is now proving his worth game after game. Currently enjoying his best stretch with the team, Bridges has been a key contributor to the Knicks’ impressive nine-game winning streak.

According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Bridges’ early challenges had an unexpected benefit for the Knicks’ roster. Windhorst noted that the team rallying around Bridges during his difficult start helped unify the locker room and boosted overall chemistry.

“The players stepping up to support Bridges inspired the entire locker room,” Windhorst shared on ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast. “Of course, it’s not surprising that Josh Hart – one of Mikal Bridges’ best friends – came to his defense. But it wasn’t just Hart; multiple players did. They were all fighting through it together. Bridges was struggling, and so was the team.”

The steep price the Knicks paid to acquire Bridges placed significant pressure on the player.

During a stretch of 17 games where the team’s performance was inconsistent, Bridges shot under 30% from beyond the arc. This led to criticism from both analysts and fans.

However, since early December, Bridges has turned things around. Over the last 15 games, he has shot an impressive 43.1% from three-point range, averaging 21.3 points per game.

His standout performance came on Christmas Day when he scored 41 points in a thrilling win over the Spurs. Now, with the team fully united, the Knicks are just one game behind the Celtics in the race for the second seed in the Eastern Conference.