On Friday, Mikal Bridges was benched early in the fourth quarter because he was struggling.
Two days later, he was subbed out early again but this time to an MSG ovation following a rejuvenating performance in a blowout victory.
“It was much needed,” Jalen Brunson said. “And most importantly, it led to a win. The way he was playing, he was confident and it was flowing.
“I love to see it.”
Facing increased criticism amid his early-season struggles, Bridges dropped 13 of his season-high 31 points in the opening quarter of Sunday’s 118-85 annihilation of New Orleans, a victory that included a double-digit Knicks lead for the final 43 minutes.
Bridges started aggressively and the defense took care of the rest. The Knicks (12-8), who’ve won six of their past eight, held the Pelicans to just 28 points in the opening half, the fewest for a New York opponent since November 2001 against the Warriors, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“We were communicating. I think we were playing physical,” Josh Hart said. “Not letting guys get into rhythm. I think that’s something that we kind of struggled with, containing guys early. We let them get into a rhythm.”
The terrible Pelicans never had an answer without the injured trio of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones.
It was the second game in a row the Knicks faced a depleted team and the third straight time their opponent was missing its best player.
This time, the Knicks breezed behind Bridges.
The 28-year-old was spry and aggressive two days after Tom Thibodeau benched the guard in the fourth quarter of a тιԍнт victory in Charlotte.
Bridges tied a career high with seven 3-pointers on 12 attempts while cutting to the hoop for a few easy looks at the rim.
It was his best performance since being acquired from Brooklyn for five first-round picks and arrived two days after Bridges declared: “I’ll be better.”
“It’s a new team. That’s pretty much it,” Bridges said Sunday. “I’ve never played with an offensive talent like [Karl-Anthony Towns] as a big. Never dealt with a big who pops out to the 3-point a lot like that. Just something we had to adjust to, and it’s just going to take time.”
On Friday, Hart ᴀssured Bridges would recover and said the team would make it a priority to get him going.
He sounded prophetic as Bridges took seven sH๏τs in the opening 10 minutes.
“We didn’t call his number, as far as plays directed at him too much. It’s just his energy. He was knocking down his sH๏τs. He was making sH๏τs,” Hart said. “Couple times, the ball just got deflected right where it was, and the ball finds energy. So it was good for him to come out and play that way.”
Bridges’ production allowed easy nights for Brunson (16 points on 11 sH๏τs) and Towns (14 points, 19 boards).
