Mikal Bridges justifying price Knicks paid to get him

A lot of eyebrows were raised when the New York Knicks gave up a chest of first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets to acquire Mikal Bridges last summer. 

At the time, many felt the Knicks parted with a haul worthy of a superstar, not a career 3-and-D player like Bridges. Midway through the season, the Knicks have been justified to give up all those picks for the Villanova alum. 

During Monday's 119-110 win over the Hawks, Bridges completely shut down Trae Young, holding him to 8-of-22 shooting and forcing him into nine turnovers. It was the latest instance of Bridges wreaking havoc on the opponent's lead ball-handler this season. 

As the primary defender, Bridges has held Young to 30 percent shooting through three matchups, Jalen Suggs to 23.8 percent, Tyrese Haliburton and Coby White to 30 percent and Cade Cunningham to 40 percent. Bridges has also proven to be a tough cover for bigger wings such as Jayson Tatum, Scottie Barnes and Paul George while matching up against them.

After Monday's win, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau couldn't stop raving about Bridges. 

"He’s such a tough cover and there's a million pick-and-rolls you have to defend," Thibs said of Bridges, via SNY. "Sometimes you can defend them really well and he can make [a shot]. So I thought [Bridges] was really disciplined. You have to be that. And he kept going."

Bridges — who also produced 26 points — acknowledged that the Knicks traded for him for his elite perimeter defense. 

"That's what I'm here for," he said about guarding the opponent's best ball-handlers. "That's what I get paid for. And like I always said, I got my teammates behind me so it's never just me against that guy. So it's just team defense and try my best to try to disrupt."

In Bridges and OG Anunoby, the Knicks have two of the best wing defenders in the league. The duo could prove to be the key if the Knicks match up against the Celtics and their elite duo of Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the playoffs.

With Monday's win, the Knicks improved to 28-16 to strengthen their hold over the third seed in the conference.