Knicks Notes: Mike Brown not hesitating to sit Mikal Bridges; Jordan Clarkson providing spark

Mikal Bridges was 1-for-7 in the third quarter on Monday and the Knicks were struggling. Some NBA head coaches would stick with their veteran in that spot. It’s easier to keep a player like Bridges – one who is signed to a large contract and was obtained for significant trade capital – on the court.

But in this respect, Mike Brown isn’t most coaches. He didn’t hesitate to bench Bridges in the second half of the Knicks’ win over the Nets.

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We’re seven games into the season. Brown has pulled Bridges in the third quarter of three of those seven games.

“Yeah, he’s just got to keep playing. Everybody goes through those ups and downs throughout the course of the season, and obviously, it’s the beginning of the season right now, so he’s got to find his way,” Brown said after New York’s win over Brooklyn. “Not just with him but with everybody, when you’re in a funk you gotta find one or two things to hold your hat on. Mikal is one of the best runners in the NBA.

“In both directions – offensively and defensively. So he’s just got to try to hang his hat on that as well as his cutting and trying to do the other little things – rebounding and driving and touching the paint and spraying it. Then this shot will come eventually.”

Bridges is shooting 30 percent from the floor so far this year. If you’ve watched the Knicks during Bridges’ tenure, you know that he can be up and down over the course of the regular season. And you also know he can deliver in big playoff situations. Brown believes Bridges will ultimately be fine.

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“It’s a matter of time in my opinion, before Mikal gets going,” Brown said.

But if the Knicks head coach thinks someone else gives the team a better chance to win on a given night, he won’t hesitate to sit Bridges.

SHAMET, CLARKSON SPARK KNICKS

After a sluggish three quarters, Brown turned to Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek to start the fourth quarter. Clarkson, Kolek, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns sparked the Knicks early in the fourth.

It was the second time in the past three games that Clarkson helped turn things around. The veteran had 18 points in New York’s comeback…


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Publish date : 2026-11-03 06:28:00

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