During the first round of the NBA playoffs last month, as Tobias Harris prepared to shoot from the left wing in a pivotal Game 6, he saw New York Knicks wing Mikal Bridges rapidly approaching. This prompted Harris to abandon the shot, drive to the basket, and attempt a dunk.
However, waiting at the rim was New York`s OG Anunoby, who was there first to block the shot. Knicks guard Josh Hart secured the loose ball and quickly launched an outlet pass to Bridges in transition. With two defenders, Cade Cunningham and Malik Beasley, closing in, Bridges took two powerful dribbles before elevating for a left-handed slam over Cunningham`s outstretched arm.
“That`s a man`s jam!” the commentator exclaimed. Bridges punctuated the play by shouting and pumping his fist in celebration before hustling back on defense.
This entire sequence—Bridges` defensive close-out, Anunoby`s block, and Bridges` powerful transition dunk—perfectly illustrated the Knicks` intended role for the two-way duo: provide versatile defense against various opponents while also serving as floor-spacers who can exploit defenses when attention is focused on guard Jalen Brunson.
Acquiring the 28-year-old Bridges and 27-year-old Anunoby involved significant assets and potential risks. In July, New York sent five first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Bridges in a rare intracity trade. Just weeks earlier, the Knicks had secured Anunoby with a five-year, $212 million free-agent contract, the most lucrative in franchise history, after trading RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Toronto Raptors the previous season. Some commentators questioned the substantial draft capital and salary commitment for players who had not yet achieved All-Star status.
Now, New York finds itself with its strongest opportunity in 25 years to reach the Eastern Conference finals. A major factor in the Knicks` success during this playoff run, frequently decided in clutch moments, including their chance to eliminate the reigning champion Boston Celtics in Friday`s Game 6, has been this duo`s ability to challenge the league`s top scorers. Yet, after Bridges, Anunoby, and the Knicks` defense struggled in Game 5 against a Celtics team missing Jayson Tatum, New York will need more exceptional performances from its two-way wings.
Defensive Adjustments and Growth
Mikal Bridges, known as the league`s ironman for starting his career with 556 consecutive games played, is often seen icing his knees with large bags after games.
Following a loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on December 11, he certainly needed the ice. Bridges had been screened 50 times that game, the highest number any NBA player faced during the season.
Before joining the Knicks, Bridges was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up in 2022 and was typically assigned to guard the opposing team`s premier wing scorers, including superstars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Jayson Tatum.
In his first season with the Knicks, however, coach Tom Thibodeau assigned Bridges the role of point-of-attack defender. This strategic shift aimed to reduce the defensive burden on Brunson, who handled the ball more than any other NBA player on offense that season.
Through January, Bridges was navigating an average of 25 screens per game, the highest figure recorded in the league`s 13-year database.
Compounding the challenge, the Knicks were also adjusting to Karl-Anthony Towns as their primary interior defender, a departure from his time alongside elite rim protector Rudy Gobert in Minnesota. Consequently, opponents actively tested New York`s new defensive lineup.
Initially, this strategy proved effective for opponents. Through November, New York`s defense ranked 21st in the league. Even after significant improvement and a favorable December schedule, the team only climbed to 15th, a noticeable decline from their ninth-place ranking the previous season.
These adjustment periods also negatively impacted Bridges` offensive performance. In a 16-game span from November 1 to December 1, he attempted only six free throws in total, significantly fewer than the nearly four per game he averaged with the Nets the prior season. This contrasted sharply with Anunoby`s seemingly effortless integration after arriving from Toronto in December 2023.
“It takes time,” Brunson remarked earlier regarding Bridges` season. “It`s similar to rookies. Some players excel early, while others develop and improve later on. You can never predict that turning point… I never lost faith because I`ve known him for a long time.”
Throughout the season, there were clear indicators of Bridges developing comfort, such as his 41-point game against the San Antonio Spurs. He also demonstrated the clutch, ball-hawking tendencies that secured come-from-behind victories in Games 1 and 2 against the Celtics. Bridges made buzzer-beating blocks to clinch wins against the Nets and Hawks, and in a February game versus the Bulls, his block on center Nikola Vucevic forced overtime.
Furthermore, Bridges and Anunoby experienced an offensive breakthrough, triggered by Brunson`s late-season ankle injury. This change unlocked a new level of scoring from the duo, a capability that, if displayed at crucial moments, could accelerate New York`s return to contention sooner than many anticipated.
Evolving Offensive Roles
When Brunson suffered a severe ankle sprain against the Los Angeles Lakers, keeping him out for 15 games, it was initially unclear who would lead the Knicks` offense. Backup point guard Miles McBride was also injured, and third-stringer Cameron Payne was sidelined shortly thereafter. While Towns is a skilled playmaking center, he typically requires someone to initiate the offense for him. The same is often true for Hart, who can trouble defenses more effectively as a secondary ball handler.
Meanwhile, Bridges and Anunoby`s roles were clearly defined within the Knicks` Brunson-centric offense: they were primarily floor-spacers. No players in the NBA attempted more corner 3-pointers this season than Bridges (219) and Anunoby (216).
With a creative void in the offense, Bridges handled the ball more frequently and increased his use of the midrange shot, finishing the season shooting 50.7% in that area, third in the NBA among high-volume shooters. His scoring also increased from 17 points per game before Brunson`s injury to 20.5 during the guard`s absence. This appears to have boosted Bridges` scoring confidence late in games when Brunson takes rests in the fourth quarter.
Anunoby, concurrently, made an even greater leap, increasing his scoring from 16.5 to nearly 23 points per game with improved efficiency.
“Our play style naturally features Jalen and KAT. I believe at times we can highlight OG and Mikal more,” Hart commented. “I always knew OG possessed the ability to make shots—even last year, with his midrange, step-backs, and such—but I feel he elevated it when Jalen was out.”
“The NBA is highly situational; he`s capable of huge scoring nights, and sometimes his opportunity doesn`t arise. But when his number is called, he steps up.”
Thibodeau, known for his defensive focus, values Bridges and Anunoby most for their defensive capabilities, particularly in late, close games throughout New York`s dramatic clutch performances this postseason.
The Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, have shot a mere 13% overall (3-for-23) in 14 minutes of clutch time during this series, committing more turnovers than scoring baskets. Boston, which relies more heavily on 3-pointers than any team in league history, has made only one of their 11 attempts from deep in these situations, a significant testament to the Knicks` defensive wing duo.
“You are asking players, especially in five-out situations, to protect the paint and also extend out to cover the 3-point line. And then, when the shot goes up, to rebound,” Thibodeau said regarding Bridges and Anunoby. “Their versatility to play the 2, 3, and 4 allows you to switch much more effectively.”
There`s a strong argument that these forwards are the Knicks` most critical barometer in the series against Boston. When they both perform well—as seen in the second half of the closing Game 6 in Detroit, or the Game 4 victory against Boston where they combined for 19 points on 9-for-10 shooting in the crucial fourth quarter—they make the Knicks incredibly difficult to defeat.
On nights like Game 5, when the Knicks` defense surrendered 22 three-pointers and Anunoby and Bridges collectively shot just 5-for-26, it places an unsustainable scoring burden on Brunson and Towns. If New York can extract enough impact from its wings to overcome Boston—and in doing so, become the favorites to win the East—the substantial picks and salary invested in Bridges and Anunoby will be fully justified for a Knicks team that many did not expect to reach this stage after a challenging regular season series against their rival.
