Mikal Bridges steals the show in overtime of Knicks' Game 1 win
Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks celebrates after making a three-point basket against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in Game One of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday. Credit: Getty Images/Maddie Meyer
BOSTON
Stunning. Jaw-dropping. Improbable.
We’re not just talking about the fact that the Knicks found a way to beat a team no one thought they could beat, opening their Eastern Conference semifinal series with a 108-105 overtime win over the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics.
No, we’re talking about the fact that the much-maligned Mikal Bridges came up with the monster steal that sealed the win, ripping the ball out of the hands of All-Star Jaylen Brown in the closing seconds.
It was the type of play Bridges was brought here to make, the type of play that he said his love of football taught him how to execute. In fact, Bridges even executed a football move after the steal, hurling the ball down the court in celebration as the crowd at TD Garden went stone-cold silent.
It all began with three seconds to go and the Celtics running an inbounds play, hoping to force a second overtime. Bridges, facing Brown, fixed on his eyes just as he’s heard great defensive backs do in the NFL.
“I’m a football guy. I’m watching his eyes and following where the ball is at,” Bridges said. “I’m trying to get my hands as soon as I see the ball. We’re up three, so we were going to foul. Just trying to track the ball and see where his eyes are at.”
Sauce Gardner move? Bridges rolled his eyes at the notion.
“I’m a Rams fan. Try Ahkello Witherspoon,” he said with a smile.
The big play at the end stood out in stark contrast to the awful offensive game Bridges had. He was the only starter to finish the game in single digits, scoring only eight points and shooting 3-for-13.
But despite the fact that his shots weren’t falling, Bridges kept putting them up. He nailed a huge three-pointer with 2:30 left in overtime that gave the Knicks a 106-100 lead.
“Yeah, just staying with it. I’d been missing a lot, a lot of shots that I’m upset with myself about missing,” said Bridges, who had a block and two steals in OT. “The basketball gods blessed me for just keep staying with it, because it banked. I don’t remember a time I banked in a corner three. Yeah, just the basketball gods, man, just looking out.”
Josh Hart wasn’t surprised that Bridges hit a big shot and made a big defensive play despite his struggles throughout the game. That’s because he’s seen it before, having been teammates with Bridges at Villanova.
“That’s who Mikal is. He’s gotten a lot of criticism and he never lets that affect him,” Hart said. “I don’t know how many games down the stretch that he’s won for us on the defensive side alone — the Brooklyn game, the block, the Chicago game, he got a block at the end. A couple in the Detroit series. He’s been a huge part for this team.
“Sometimes those things get overlooked and people just look at stats and they lose sight of how valuable a player that he is. He went out there and his shot wasn’t falling, but he had a big three in overtime. Plays that go overlooked. He had a back tap — Jalen [Brunson] ended up missing the three, but plays like that, his motor always goes.
“He’s a winning player. He makes winning plays. He should be celebrated for that.”
They will be celebrating in New York for at least two days.
The Knicks were 0-4 against the Celtics in the regular season — falling behind by 35, 35 and 27 points in the first three games — and trailed by 20 points in the third quarter on Monday night. Now they have stolen home-court advantage.
The Knicks, like Bridges, were tougher than anyone thought they could be. And now it appears we have a series on our hands.
“Yeah, man, we’re here. We’re just trying to play hard and win games,” Bridges said. “Obviously, the regular season, we just gotta learn from it. Watch a lot of film and whatever we gotta do to play better. But yeah, man, I think we just keep fighting. It’s the playoffs now. So all that stuff is out the window. Just gotta go out there and try to win the game.”
Any way they can.
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
