Mikal Bridges represents the current for the New York Knicks, who’re competing within the higher echelon of the Jap Convention and aspire to make a prolonged playoff run.
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Bridges additionally is part of the latest previous, and what the Brooklyn Nets hope is a productive future for a crew that’s approaching the two-year anniversary of pivoting away from a roster constructed round superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Bridges on Tuesday night time will return to Brooklyn for the primary time since being traded when the Knicks go to the Nets.
Bridges, 28, was acquired by the Knicks in July for 5 first-round picks after averaging 21.2 factors in 109 video games for the Nets. He was the centerpiece of their deal that despatched Durant to the Phoenix Suns on the 2023 commerce deadline. The Nets, in flip, have been swept within the first spherical of the playoffs in 2023 earlier than tumbling to a 32-50 document final season.
The deal was the primary of two blockbuster trades for the Knicks, who reached the second spherical of the playoffs final season. Additionally they acquired Karl Anthony-Cities from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Julius Randle shortly earlier than coaching camp opened.
Bridges scored 22 factors in New York’s 124-122 win over the Nets on Nov. 15 and completed with 21 in a 114-104 victory over Brooklyn two days later.
The Knicks are having fun with an eight-game successful streak towards the Nets. New York, nonetheless, heads into Brooklyn with six losses in its previous 10 video games since a nine-game successful streak from Dec. 15-Jan 1.
The Knicks are coming off a 119-110 residence win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Jalen Brunson scored 34 factors and Bridges added 26 whereas contributing to a defensive effort that held Trae Younger to 1-of-8 capturing from the ground within the fourth quarter.
“It’ll cool to be back to see my teammates, see the coaching staff that I was there with for some months before I got traded,” Bridges stated.
Bridges was dealt shortly after Jordi Fernandez was employed as head coach by the Nets, who’re in a rebuilding part that has resulted in a distinct roster than the November conferences.
Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder began the earlier conferences and have been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, respectively.
Cam Thomas scored 43 factors within the first assembly however will miss his tenth straight recreation with a strained left hamstring.
Brooklyn is 1-8 since Thomas re-injured his hamstring Jan. 2, and the Nets are 5-19 since successful three straight Nov. 24-27.
Brooklyn will play 10 of its subsequent 12 at residence after dropping 5 contests on a six-game street journey. The Nets try to cease a seven-game residence dropping streak after absorbing a 127-101 loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Sunday.
“We’re looking forward to this home stretch,” Brooklyn ahead Cameron Johnson stated. “I don’t know what it is out of the next 15 games, but a lot of them are at home. So we’ll look forward to playing in front of our fans again, and getting comfortable playing at home.”
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