There have been too many games across these past two seasons when it has been too easy to forget that Mikal Bridges is in the building.
There have been too many times he’ll disappear into the corner and watch his teammates work, hanging around just in case someone needs to kick it out.
There have been too many games that make his career stat page look full of misprints, as if the numbers from his initial run with the Nets in 2023 — when he averaged 26.1 points for a playoff team — was inserted by one of his family members.
Too often, it has felt like Bridges forged James Dolan’s signature to secure his $150 million extension.
Too rarely has Bridges felt as valuable as the five first-round picks the Knicks gave away in hopes of elevating their title chances.
But now?
Bridges is everything the Knicks could ask of him.
The 29-year-old maintained his aggressiveness on both ends of the floor in his ninth consecutive strong performance, helping the Knicks earn their ninth straight win, 109-93, in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
Bridges finished with 19 points (9-of-12 shooting from the field), with three rebounds, three assists, one steal and no turnovers.
Bridges, who had 18 points (7-of-11 shooting) with five rebounds and two steals in the improbable Game 1 win, was the unsung hero of the 22-point comeback, shutting down James Harden and hitting a pair of clutch 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Less than a month ago, Bridges’ confidence looked shot and his starting job appeared in jeopardy after he finished with no points in a Game 3 loss in Atlanta that put the Knicks two losses from the end of their season.
Now, the Knicks are two wins from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, buoyed by Bridges’ inspired two-way play.
Entering Thursday, Bridges had averaged 18.7 points, four rebounds, three assists and 1.5 steals in his past six games, while shooting 67.1 percent from the field and 47.4 percent on 3-pointers.
Since being held scoreless, Bridges has hit at least half his shots during each victory of the Knicks’ winning streak.
And once again, Bridges kept Harden quiet, using his length to bother the Cavs star into making just 6-of-15 shots.
In Game 1, Bridges held the former MVP to 1-of-6 shooting in the fourth quarter.
Invisible now seems impossible.
