SAN ANTONIO — Jalen Brunson was an undersized second-round pick, a superstar that no one saw coming. Josh Hart was traded three times in six seasons before becoming the fan favorite of a title contender. OG Anunoby might as well have come from Mars, missing nearly as many games as he played in Toronto before becoming a modern day Dave DeBusschere.
Mikal Bridges shouldered the weight of five-first round picks, preventing him from exceeding expectations.
Until now.
Coming off a quiet showing in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Bridges bounced back in Game 2 with 20 points (8-for-13 overall, 4-for-6 on 3-pointers), six rebounds, six assists and phenomenal defense in the Knicks’ 105-104 win over the Spurs.
Bridges was uncharacteristically emotional throughout the night, repeatedly screaming and celebrating with teammates on the sideline after each big play. He carried the offense in the second and third quarters by hitting eight straight field goals, then missed his final four shots during the Knicks’ near collapse in the fourth quarter.
“We know the value he brings to our team,” Karl-Anthony Towns said this week. “All the chatter outside of that locker room doesn’t mean anything to us, and it shouldn’t mean anything to him. It’s our job as teammates to continue to uplift him, keep it positive and also remind him how great he is.
“In the moments when Mikal had to show the world and Knicks fans how great he is, he’s always shown up. Last year against Boston, this postseason run, he’s shown the world why his value is so high and why we were the ones to see the value that he brings to a team.”
Bridges saw a seven-game hot streak end with a 4-of-16 clunker in the clincher at Cleveland. He then hit 3 of 6 from the field in Game 1 — his fewest shot attempts since the first round after averaging 12.6 shots in the previous nine games — but the 29-year-old quickly regained his confidence and made up for an inefficient game from Jalen Brunson. After going scoreless for nearly the first 19 minutes, Bridges found rhythm, hitting his first four 3-pointers.
In barely five weeks, Bridges has redefined a fate that seemed inescapable for a large part of the past two years, transforming from an overrated scapegoat — who was held scoreless as the Knicks moved two losses from a first-round elimination — to an indispensable piece on both ends of the floor.
Bridges entered the NBA Finals averaging 18.7 points and shooting over 62 percent from the field since being benched in Game 3 against Atlanta.
