Mike Brown Sees Mikal Bridges as the Knicks' Elite Defender

During his days with the Phoenix Suns, Bridges was one of the most undisputed top defenders in the league. As he joined the Brooklyn Nets, Bridges became more of a scoring-focused player, so his defense dropped off a bit.

In the 2025-26 season with the Knicks, Bridges was a solid defender. However, he was overshadowed by his fellow wing, OG Anunoby, who was the team's best defender. Now that Brown is in charge, it looks like Bridges has seen a resurgence with his defense.

Brown Recognizes Bridges as a Top Defender

The Knicks have a good cast of defenders, but Anunoby and Bridges are the top options. They can defend multiple positions with their ability to stay in front of their matchups. At the same time, they have long limbs that can keep their opponents contained.

Bridges has also been more active, so his matchups are more disconcerted when they handle the ball. Since Brown is in charge now, the Knicks' top players won't need to play almost 40 minutes per game all the time.

Now, Bridges can focus on being as impactful as he can on both sides of the floor. Brown is already excited because he sees potential in Bridges to make the All-Defensive First Team for the first time.

"Our guys' activity defensively is pretty good for most of the game... Mikal, he was really good, he had six deflections, a couple of steals... Mikal's next-play speed is unbelievable," Brown said after the preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets.

"Right away, his change in direction from offense to defense is amazing. Probably one of the best I've been around. For him to get a couple of blocks like he did, that's just a testament to what he can do defensively."

"He's a first-team all-defender. It's evident. There's no question in my mind of what he does out on the floor. It's a lot of the little things he does that I hope don't go unnoticed."

The Knicks are Under Pressure in the 2025-26 Season

With Bridges reaching his peak level as a defender again, the Knicks continue to go from strength to strength. They have a high offensive ceiling because they have Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns leading the charge.

Bridges and Anunoby are still solid offensive players even though they are more known as defenders. The pressure is high for the team because they won't have the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers as top-tier contenders in the 2025-26 season.

Since the Knicks are the favorites, it is up to Brown and his players to step up and meet expectations. There are no more excuses now, and it will be tough to maintain their favorite status, especially against the Cleveland Cavaliers.