Knicks Star Praised For Defense vs. Celtics

"The final defensive play was not a surprise for those who have paid attention to Mikal Bridges during the postseason, when he’s ratcheted up his physicality to levels he never reached during the regular season," The Athletic insider Fred Katz wrote.

"With three seconds to go and the Celtics running an inbounds play, hoping to tie the game with a 3, Brown received a pass that sailed over the head of Bridges. But the Knicks wing didn’t even need to foul. Instead, he went for the basketball. He hugged the ball, leaning into Brown, and ripped it away from the All-Star, tossing it down the court to seal the Game 1 win."

Bridges had just eight points for the Knicks in Game 1, making just 3 of 13 shots from the field. While his shots weren't falling, he didn't let that define his play on the other side of the court. Instead, Bridges focused on making one play at a time, which led to the big steal late against the Celtics.

Bridges played 51 out of 53 minutes in the win, proving to be extremely reliable for the Knicks as he looks to help get the franchise to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 in his first year with the team.