Knicks Need This Player to Score More

The New York Knicks are hoping to have a better season from Mikal Bridges in his second year with the team.

Bridges wasn't bad in his first go with the Knicks, but his stats took a dip. He averaged 17.6 points, 3.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game with the Knicks this past season, all of which were lower than his 2023-24 numbers with the Brooklyn Nets.

Forbes contributor Tom Rende believes the Knicks could see more from Bridges next season due to the coaching change from Tom Thibodeau to Mike Brown.

"Mikal Bridges could benefit from more of an opportunity to have a hand in the offense. He wasn’t always efficient in the pick and roll in Brooklyn, but he certainly could stand to be featured more often in New York," Rende wrote.

"Karl-Anthony Towns was notably a no-show when teams used smaller players to guard him. It could be easier to neutralize that tactic if the Knicks are able to run more sets to make sure that the cross matchups creates confusion among the defense and leads to more open shots. Allowing Brunson to cook during the closing minutes of fourth quarters while lessening his burden throughout the rest of the game could be a successful strategy that translates better to the playoffs."

Bridges' usage rate was much lower as the third or fourth option in the Knicks offense compared to being the top dog in Brooklyn, but Brown's system calls for more ball movement than Thibodeau's, which could lead to more opportunities for the former No. 10 overall pick.

Bridges can elevate the Knicks tremendously, so Brown should look at ways to better utilize him in the upcoming season.

If Brown can unlock Bridges' potential, it could be what pushes the Knicks from a bridesmaid to a bride holding the bouquet and the Larry O'Brien Trophy.