The Knicks have one big task during break before NBA Finals

Mikal Bridges has actually been to a Finals before. He knows what the experience is like.

And all the extras that come along with it — extra praise, extra criticism, extra media obligations, extra questions, extra attention.

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He is one of only two players on the Knicks, along with Jordan Clarkson to have played in the Finals (OG Anunoby was on the Raptors but did not play in the 2019 Finals).

Bridges’ advice for his teammates centers on handling that extra praise.

Mikal Bridges talks to reporters during Knicks practice on May 28, 2026 in Tarrytown, N.Y. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“Just worry about what we have to do to be better,” Bridges said after practice Thursday. “Not get too into the media and all the stuff. A lot of questions, a lot of talk about how great we are, how great we’ve been. That doesn’t matter, we just gotta worry about being ourselves and stay locked in. And go win.”

There is so much fanfare around the Knicks, who are in the Finals for the first time since 1999. It’s coming from ordinary fans, from celebrity fans, from neutrals, from other local athletes, from local media and from national media.

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They have broken record after record during their 11-game winning streak. Chief among them: They outscored their opponents by 262 points during those 11 games, the best point differential across 11 games in NBA history, regular season or postseason.

New York City has been whipped into a frenzy. Right now, Knicks players are gods among men. Everyone wants a piece of them.

That’s all nice and fine. But the Knicks want to ignore all of it.

Coach Mike Brown, who will be appearing in his seventh Finals as either a head coach or assistant, knows the toll all of it can take if not handled properly.

Head coach Mike Brown talks to reporters during Knicks practice. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“There are a lot more distractions that you have to navigate,” Brown said Thursday. “So you have to be, I was talking to Allan Houston and he used the right word when I was talking to him about it, but you have to be real intentional about what you’re doing…

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Publish date : 2026-05-29 02:19:00

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