Mikal Bridges puts shooting woes behind him with emphatic Knicks bounce-back showing

It was a nighttime and time — aliases roadworthy and location — turnaround for Mikal Bridges successful his first 2 games pinch nan Knicks. 

Any interest complete his bad boy shooting appears to beryllium down him. 

Bridges marked his regular-season Garden debut pinch 21 points connected 8 of 12 shooting successful nan Knicks’ 123-98 triumph complete nan Pacers. 

Mikal Bridges reacts during nan Knicks’ triumph complete nan Pacers connected Oct. 25, 2024. Corey Sipkin for nan NY POST

“It was dope, man,” Bridges said. “Just nan excitement successful here; it’s really crazy. Just happy to get a win.” 

Bridges checked retired to a immense ovation from his caller location crowd pinch nan Knicks starring by 28 pinch 9:30 remaining successful nan 4th quarter. 

Bridges, who was acquired from nan Nets complete nan summer, has nailed 15 of 20 changeable attempts complete his past six quarters aft he’d missed his first 5 shots, including 4 from 3-point range, successful a scoreless first half Tuesday nighttime against nan Celtics.

He besides had discussed tinkering pinch his changeable while shooting 2 of 19 from 3-point scope successful nan preseason. 

“When you deliberation astir it logically, I deliberation wherever we are today, pinch societal media, everybody wants to person an sentiment connected everything,” Tom Thibodeau said. “And yet nan feline who’s doing nan activity each day, erstwhile you watch him work, you cognize really overmuch he puts into it, and past his assemblage of work. 

“No 1 is gonna sprout awesome for 82 games. Oftentimes, you’re successful preseason and conscionable trying to activity done things and get successful a rhythm, and you’re trying to fig retired a caller strategy and caller teammates. And each day, that gets amended and better. But if you deliberation logically, this feline has changeable almost 38 percent from 3 for his career. Me, I’d stake connected that.” 

Mikal Bridges shoots during nan Knicks’ triumph complete nan Pacers connected Oct. 25, 2024. Corey Sipkin for nan NY POST

Bridges besides was torched successful that crippled by All-Star guardant Jayson Tatum, who buried 8 of Boston’s NBA record-tying 29 treys.

But he besides improved dramatically astatine nan protect extremity Friday night, helping clasp Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton scoreless. 

Imported halfway Karl-Anthony Towns besides had a much impactful crippled Friday than he did successful his quiet 12-point, seven-rebound nighttime successful Boston, finishing pinch 21 points, 15 boards and 2 blocked shots successful 32 minutes. 

“I thought Karl had a monster game,” Thibodeau said.