NEW ORLEANS — More than ever, Mikal Bridges believes he and coach Mike Brown are on the same page.
And he traces that progress to communication between coach and player.
“I think we had some meetings and talked to each other and stuff. I think honestly right now is probably the most I’ve been close with Mike. I think right now, honestly, to this day,” Bridges said before the Knicks’ 130-125 win over the Pelicans. “Just have some good conversations, talk to each other. And just picking his brain, hear what he’s thinking and me voicing some things. Kind of get that clarity from your coach.
“Because you never know what’s going on — playing hard and just talking to him, what he’s thinking about our team and stuff. I think we had a pretty good talk before Christmas, and I think our relationship is just — it was always fine. But I think it’s definitely going up.”
Asked if those discussions were about himself or big-picture stuff, Bridges said, “Me but the whole team. Everything we’re looking to do as a team offensively, defensively. All that kind of stuff.”
Brown, who is bullish on communication, said he initiated the conversations with Bridges just because it felt like a natural time.
“I try to communicate with everybody. But I’m human just like everybody else. Sometimes I may not communicate enough. Sometimes I may try to over-communicate. It’s a fine line that you’ve got to try to figure out,” Brown said. “Everybody is human, and everybody needs to be touched. That’s all I was trying to do with Mikal. I was just trying to touch him, to get his thoughts. Let him know my thoughts. Because you know, everybody does it, including me. You assume certain things. It makes an ass out of you and me. That’s all it was. Is, ‘Mikal, what’s going? This is what I think. This is what I’m seeing, this is what I’m feeling. Am I right? Am I wrong? You give feedback.’ ”
Bridges is enjoying an efficient campaign filled with transition opportunities and corner 3-point proficiency. His minutes are down, however, from 37 per game last season to 35.3 before Monday against the Pelicans.
Bridges, who led the NBA in total minutes last season, said the slight decrease has been beneficial to his body. He feels it.
“So I definitely feel better. It’s definitely working,” Bridges said.
Still, Bridges said he had to get accustomed to the substitution pattern and was sometimes wondering whether Brown was displeased. That’s where communication is key.
“I’m so used to playing a lot so — even though I’m still playing a lot. But sometimes I might get subbed out and I’m looking like, ‘What?’ So I know something’s right [with my body playing fewer minutes],” Bridges said. “Because I freak out sometimes, like, ‘You’re getting me [out]?’ But then I’ll sit down and come back in after a couple minutes or something. So it’s something to get used to.
“But that’s also about building relationship with my coaches and stuff. As a player, it’s tough. You might miss a couple shots, you might mess up defensively, and you’re prepping yourself to make the next play and you might get subbed out and you’ll be questioning yourself, like coach does not [like] this and that. But sometimes you need a break, you know? So I think that’s just building your relationship with the coach and building that trust to know, all right, if I’m thinking I’m struggling or I’m thinking this and that. And it’s just a breather. That’s building the communication and that relationship comes a long way.”
Bridges, who entered Monday averaging 16.7 points on 52.3 percent shooting, has been pitched as a potential All-Star by Brown. But Bridges, who bought all his teammates Rolex watches for Christmas, said he cares more about developing his game and his relationships than an All-Star honor.
“Me, personally, I can’t control [All-Star selections]. But I do appreciate Mike voicing for me and OG [Anunoby]. But me, personally, I don’t really care too much,” Bridges said. “I’m just trying to be the best version of myself for this team.
“There’s so much room personally for me to grow, so that’s all I really care about. Just get better game by game and develop more relationships with my coaches, my teammates. I think I built a good relationship with them. Just going to keep going. I got those mothaf–kas some watches, so I’m pretty sure I’m close with them. I don’t do that for just anybody.”But yeah, just continue to build with them. And my coaches as well.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
