How Knicks' Mikal Bridges turned his playoffs around

There were a few moments one might consider the Knicks’ rock bottom this season, perhaps none as existential as going down 2-1 in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks. The entire franchise’s future was in the balance, and few were at greater risk than Mikal Bridges.

The former lottery pick, runner-up to Defensive Player of the Year, collegiate champion and longest-running iron man in the league put up a goose egg in Game 3, his highest statistic being four turnovers, and was reportedly fighting tears at his locker after. New York’s monster price of five first-round picks hung over his performance and the team’s lack of maneuverability like a black cloud, as somebody once thought to be the missing piece of the puzzle broke the picture altogether.

Funny how quickly things turn around though, as the Knicks have won six consecutive postseason games in dominant fashion to push past Atlanta and take a commanding 3-0 series lead over Philadelphia, with Bridges rising from hamper to hero. He’s been a key to their defensive resurgence and a major offensive threat, reminding everybody why he’s invaluable to a potential Knicks Finals run.

It starts with his game-changing defense. He’s found more success this season deployed on secondary matchups so he could cause havoc off-ball, but in the playoffs he’s been a one-on-one lockdown artist.

In the first round it was Nickeil Alexander-Walker, this year’s Most Improved Player, who was enveloped by Bridges. He went from a 20.8 points per game average in the regular season to 13.7 against the Knicks, his two-point accuracy fell from 52.5 percent to 32.1 percent, and Bridges forced nine turnovers in 29 minutes matched up with him.

Two-time All-Star and 28.3-points per game scorer Tyrese Maxey awaited Bridges in round two, and he's stepped up to the plate. Bridges held him to an inefficient first two games -- 19 points a night on 38 percent shooting from the field -- and forced eight turnovers in 21 minutes of matchup time.

He’s been flexible too, taking on Paul George with OG Anunoby missing Game 3, to the same degree of success, even doing a good job on Jalen Johnson the previous round when switched. All the while, he’s done the little things on this end as well, boxing out, making the right rotations and running the floor hard on the other end.