Did Mikal Bridges change his shooting form? Concern grows over Knicks swingman
While NBA preseason is no time to panic, it may be time to start wondering what's going on with Mikal Bridges' shot.
The New York Knicks' swingman is just 2-of-9 from three over three preseason games.
It's a tiny sample size, to be sure, but beyond Bridges' misses, it appears as if his shooting form has changed and now has an unusual hitch in it.
Bridges has never possessed the NBA's most beautiful shooting form, but it has always been effective, as he's shot 37.5% from deep over his career, with one season over 40%.
Knicks fans first noticed that Bridges' shot looked different during an offseason workout video.
What happened to Mikal Bridges? shot? ???? pic.twitter.com/6ESRwumwGd ? BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) September 20, 2024
During the Knicks' preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, Wolves star Anthony Edwards called out Bridges over his changed form.
(Warning: explicit language)
LEAKED Audio Of Anthony Edwards Trash Talking Mikal Bridges????:
?That n**** done changed his shot, man?. Damn!? pic.twitter.com/Aieczd0SPv ? LegendZ (@legendz_nba) October 14, 2024
Bridges' form on his lone made three on Sunday looked fine, however, as if his shot has a natural flow when he cannot take his time to line it up.
Mikal Bridges catch & shoot 3 pic.twitter.com/4jYatuB3Hw ? Knicks Highlights (@KnicksClipss) October 13, 2024
It's unclear what has changed for Bridges ? whether he's compensating for an injury or intentionally changed his form ? but his shot did not previously have this hitch.
Mikal Bridges is a versatile 3pt shooter.
Like Brunson and DiVincenzo, Bridges is a good relocator along the 3pt line. He's excellent running in transition for corner 3's. He also has some ability to shoot off-screens. Lots of options as a three point shooter. pic.twitter.com/Z3VVbz1JrK ? DJ (@DJAceNBA) July 8, 2024
Again, it's only preseason, when players are still shaking off the rust and not playing their hardest. Bridges could have one good shooting game and suddenly be shooting a passable percentage over from three.
As a reminder that slow starts can drag on, Julius Randle began last season shooting 26-of-96 from the field (27%) over his first seven games. It was one of the worst high-volume shooting percentages to begin a season in NBA history. He eventually turned it around and was named to a third All-Star team.
However, the Knicks invested a ton in Bridges by dealing five first-round picks for him. The upside of acquiring Bridges was that he could space the floor, cut off the ball, and act as a secondary ball-handler. Now, after trading Donte DiVincenzo, the Knicks badly need Bridges to be an accurate, high-volume three-point shooter.
It's unclear if Bridges shot can even be called an "issue," given how small the sample size has been. If his form has suddenly changed, the Knicks coaching staff are likely already all over trying to iron it out.
Nonetheless, it's something that bears watching over the Knicks next two preseason games leading into the season-opener against the Celtics.
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