10 Things I Loved About Knicksmas

A game that big deserves an equally large recap.

Good morning everyone! I know, I know…I said you wouldn’t be getting a newsletter today. I lied. Consider this your edition for today AND tomorrow, and then the next edition will hit your inbox after the Magic game sometime Saturday morning. Also, I’ll be in the KFS Substack chat today at 3pm for anyone who wants to come in and share some good vibes.

Let’s do this…

Game 30: Knicks 117, Spurs 114

I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned it in this space, but my wife loves Christmas.

Like, loves loves Christmas. Totally obsessed with it. She’d watch Hallmark (now Netflix) holiday movies all day, every day from December 1 to December 24 if she had the time.

Her obsession is not only heartwarming, but also contagious.

Before meeting her, I was always a “quality over quantity” guy when it came to presents. I’d pour all my heart (and wallet) into one big gift rather than a bunch of small ones. Go big or go home.

Nope. Not with my wife. When it comes to gifts for our kids, it has to be both quality and quantity. Here’s the proof if you need it:

The big boxes: a giant Elsa doll, a sewing machine, a pogo stick and a ski-ball set.

That’s one big gift for each kid, plus big ones for them to share, plus a bunch of additional stuff to open, plus stocking stuffers. This has never been up for discussion. It is her way or the highway.

So in my wife’s giving spirit (and in the memory of Zach Lowe’s dearly departed column), today I have 10 things for you to unwrap, starting with the big kahuna:

1. Mikal Bridges, perfect third option

In my 30-plus years watching the NBA, one thing I’ve learned is that nailing the whole “big three” thing is a lot harder than it sounds. It can’t just be about going out and getting the best player possible because the skill set required for a third banana is so specific, especially if one (or both) of your top dogs have something lacking in their game. Do it wrong, and it can single-handedly torpedo a title team (hi Russ).

But do it right? That’s basketball magic.

I couldn’t help but think of the concept of the perfect third option when I watched Benjy Ritholtz’ exceptional breakdown of Bridges’ Christmas miracle. In it, he details how this game showcased a perfect marriage between the two prior versions of Mikal: the supporting player from the Phoenix Suns and the on-ball engine from the Brooklyn Nets. It was the best of both worlds.

On one hand, we saw an intelligent player who not only knows how to play off of the superstars around him but has the energy to keep poking the balloon until it pops, moving and maneuvering until he finds the pressure point of the defense. On the other hand, we witnessed Bridges take command of the offense in a key spot for the first time in a Knicks uniform. That he was able to toggle seamlessly from one version to another is a testament to both his versatility and his selflessness. He knows he can do more because he’s done it, but also has enough respect for the All-Stars flanking him that he won’t overstep his boundaries unless it’s necessary.

Yesterday, it was.

We can have a chicken/egg conversation about whether Bridges took hold of the offense because Brunson and KAT were on the bench or whether Brunson and KAT were on the bench because Bridges had taken hold of the offense. Either way, it told you all you needed needed to know about Tom Thibodeau’s faith in his wingman. Few if any coaches respect the necessity of stars more than Thibs, to the point that he’s almost always willing to overlook warts in the service of offensive gravity.

Yesterday, the coach kept his stars on the bench for over four minutes in the second half of the fourth quarter. Over that time, a five-point deficit became a one-point lead, due in no small part to the defensive aptitude of the five-man group on the court.

Sure enough, the OG 3-pointer that that capped off a 9-0 run and recaptured the lead came off of a midnight heist from Bridges:

This was one of two steals Mikal had on the day to go with two blocks and those 41 points. Only four Knicks have ever pulled off that stat line before Bridges: Melo, Al Harrington, Patrick Ewing eight times, and Bob McAdoo twice. Of the 13 total times, none were accomplished with higher efficiency than Bridges.

The reason for that, of course, was six makes in nine attempts from 3-point range, including three in the final frame. Of everything Mikal did against the Spurs, those three fourth quarter triples were the most significant to me. Each of those threes - one when the Knicks were down four, one when they were down five, and one when they were down eight - were more necessary than the last. It felt like New York’s chances would be doomed if any one of the three didn’t find the bottom of the net.

A huge part of being an elite third option is coming up big in the biggest moments. You almost have less margin for error than your star teammates because they shoulder such a large load. It is expected that when your time comes as a supporting player, you have to be there to answer the bell.

Mikal Bridges did that and then some in the best game any Knick has had this season.