The New York Knicks made several offseason acquisitions this summer via the trade market. Among the most notable was a trade that landed them star wing Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. In 2023 he averaged 19.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists for the Nets.
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Nets Fans Slam Mikal Bridges After Scoreless First Half
But despite an impressive 2023 campaign for Bridges, he had a dismal debut for the Nets. Bridges ended the first half of the contest scoreless, 0-5 from the field, including 0-4 from three-point land in 19 minutes of play. After a dismal first-half performance by the former Nets, Brooklyn fans went scorched earth on Bridges.
"Mikal Bridges shouldn't have changed his new form it's clearly not working," one fan said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Being forced to sit through one more Wingstop commercial while watching Mikal Bridges' broken shot might make me throw my TV through a wall," another fan added.
Nets fans' disdain for bridges began long before he was even traded to the Nets. Last year's Knicks core included Bridges' Villanova teammates Donte DiVincenzo, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart. The quartet would often be seen frolicking together off the court and once the Nets' season was in the gutter rumors began to circulate that Bridges could be traded to the Nets' crosstown rival, which eventually happened.
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The NBA season is a long one. So, even though it is easy for Nets fans to throw dirt on Bridges after one game, it is important to remember that he has 81 more chances to redeem himself. Following the Bridges trade, Knicks star Jalen Brunson said he believes that Mikal could be the "perfect piece," for a contending Knicks squad.
"I think for us, Mikal, I said this a long time ago: He can be a perfect piece to any puzzle. And so, I think us, obviously, being here and going to school together, it definitely gets a little bit blown out of proportion. But he's a player that will come and then do whatever it takes to win," Brunson said.
"And so, he's always been that person, and the way he's just worked on his game non-stop since the day I met him, and he's put himself in the position where people think that highly of him. It's definitely a step in the right direction for us. And we just, like I said before, we're gonna have to go out there and see when things become real."
