SALT LAKE CITY — The precipitous fall in Mikal Bridges’ stats is widespread.
Points. Minutes. Efficiency.
They’ve all plummeted since the end of January. It reached a low point during the Western Conference swing that ended Wednesday in Utah, where Bridges arrived with three straight games playing under 30 minutes and scoring in single digits.
The problem, according to Bridges, isn’t about his lack of aggressiveness.
“The aggression thing is not an issue at all. I don’t think that’s the issue at all,” said Bridges, who failed to score a point in Sunday’s loss to the Lakers and was benched in crunch time of Monday’s defeat to the Clippers. “Even if I miss a couple, there’s nothing wrong with that. Nah, I don’t think that’s the issue.”
So what is it?
“I don’t know,” Bridges answered. “I think it’s just the game of basketball. Sometimes you try to get open and sometimes it doesn’t find me. Just try to find ways to stay aggressive. That’s it.”
In other words, Bridges believes this is more about a lack of opportunity than broken confidence. And whether that’s it or the reasons run deeper, Bridges’ second season with the Knicks — which started strong and efficient — had devolved into disappointment heading into the Jazz game.
Since the All-Star break and before Wednesday, Bridges averaged just 11.4 points and under 30 minutes while shooting 43.2 percent overall and 34.1 percent on treys.
Prior to the All-Star break, Bridges was up to 15.9 points in 34.5 minutes while shooting 50.4 percent overall and 38.6 percent on threes.
When you combine pre- and post-All-Star, Bridges is averaging his fewest points and shot attempts since 2021-22 with the Phoenix Suns.
On top of his declines in efficiency, Bridges was losing playing time to his surging backup, Landry Shamet, including in fourth quarters.
Jalen Brunson, who was teammates with Bridges at Villanova, said he offers reassurance.
“Tell him to keep shooting. Tell him to keep playing,” Brunson said. “He’s out there. So he has to continue to be who he is.”
It wasn’t supposed to be such a slog for Bridges this season. The coaching change — from Tom Thibodeau to Mike Brown — was pitched as an avenue toward unlocking Bridges’ All-Star capabilities through a faster and freestyling offense.
Less structure and fewer isolations (Brown says he doesn’t call plays) theoretically meant a better version of Bridges, who is one of the top-conditioned players in the NBA and thrives with movement.
That began harmoniously as Bridges excelled through most of December. Lately, though, his attempts and conversions have dropped.
“It’s got its pros and cons,” Bridges said about Brown’s offense, specifically when asked about not having plays called. “You try to have the feel of the game sometimes.”
The good news that Knicks fans can fall back on is that Bridges also struggled through stretches of last season before awakening like a five-alarm fire in the playoffs. His heroic performances in Rounds 1 and 2 against the Pistons and Celtics, respectively, were viewed as justification for signing Bridges in the summer to a four-year, $150 million extension — which doesn’t start until next season.
There was also his big Christmas of 2024 against the Spurs, and the OT thriller a year ago in Portland. So Bridges is capable. He’s proven it. But that also makes his regression this season more confounding as he adjusts to a decreased role.
“It’s all right,” Bridges said. “I’m just trying to do whatever it takes to win, trying to find opportunities, try to do all the right things and be aggressive.
“Sometimes [the ball] doesn’t come my way. Just try to do other things.”