“New York Knicks happy to redeem Mikal Bridges”

Former Villanova Wildcat Mikal Bridges was on the right track and then some for the New York Knicks on Friday night.

With all eyes on him after a dismal debut, Bridges showed off his famous two-way game in the Knicks' victorious home opener against the Indiana Pacers: He also played shutdown defense (part of a performance that kept the high-flying Pacers under 100). . Points), Bridges scored 21 points on 8 of 12 from the field en route to a 123-98 triumph over the team that ended New York's most recent playoff run.

There are still (at least) 80 more possibilities for a turnaround, but both Bridges' colleagues and superiors were happy about his speedy redemption.

“Where we are today, with everything, social media, everyone wants, has an opinion on everything,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said in a video from SNY. “But the guy who does the work every day…When you watch him work, you know how much he puts into it. Then his body of work… This guy has shot almost 38 percent (out of three) in his career. ). I, I would be there.

“I never thought it wasn't in his bag,” fellow Madison Square Garden virgin Karl-Anthony Towns added (h/t SNY). “That was in pre-season. I could have sworn it was 0-0 at the start of the game in Boston. He did his job when the lights came on.”

For now, Bridges is having the last laugh with social media critics who questioned his adjusted jump shot. A frozen preseason that Towns alluded to (2 of 19 from three-point range) didn't help, but since missing his first five shots in the Knicks' opening loss in Boston, the former Brooklyn native has sunk 15 of 15 points -20, including 4 of 6 from deep.

Bridges was part of a diverse scoring spree in the metropolis on Friday, as he was one of four New Yorkers to score at least 20 points. However, as one of the key differences from last year's group, he will be subject to closer scrutiny throughout the year. The fact that the Knicks mortgaged a good portion of their future to obtain Bridges' services was a significant departure from the draft pick stockpiling they had pursued in previous offseasons.

That, along with the cheers of an appreciative MSG crowd, certainly makes occasions like Friday even better.

Bridges can keep the momentum going next Monday when the Knicks (1-1) battle the Cleveland Cavaliers at home (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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