Emotions were running high for Mikal Bridges and the New York Knicks after Jalen Brunson hit a double bang-worthy three pointer to clinch the series.
The Knicks squandered a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and found themselves down by seven points late. But the veteran group would not be rattled. Bridges tied the game with a tip in off a Brunson miss with under a minute to go. And after a hard-fought series resulting in back and forth four quarters in Game 6, Brunson finally managed to put a dagger through the Pistons Thursday night with arguably the biggest shot of his career.
Immediately after the game, Bridges joined Mike Breen and Walt Frazier on the MSG broadcast from the court. The first question from Breen was about the Knicks being able to respond while trailing by seven with just over two minutes to go.
“We built for this sh*t,” Bridges confidently answered without hesitation. “That’s all it is. We built for it.”
Mike Breen quickly interjected to remind Mikal Bridges they were on live TV, saying, “Now watch your…” with a chuckle before the Knicks forward apologized.
“Sorry, sorry,” Bridges told Breen. “But we built for it. That’s all it was.”
With the additions of Bridges and Karl Anthony Towns, there is no question this Knicks team is more talented than in recent seasons, but their toughness has been doubted. After watching the way they battled against Detroit in this first round series, toughness should no longer be a question.
And for Mikal Bridges, Game 6 will hopefully be viewed as a coming out party. His first season with the Knicks has been fine, led by a 41-point performance on Christmas Day. But he hasn’t been a player worthy of trading five first-round draft picks for. Thursday night, he was great. And his tip in to tie the game with less than a minute to go is undoubtedly Bridges biggest moment as a Knick. Because he’s built for this sh*t.