Mikal Bridges struggling: how much is the 626-game streak weighing on him?
626 straight games without a break for Mikal Bridges: the question arises naturally – Is the NBA’s iron man starting to pay the price?
Mikal Bridges has come under scrutiny for his performances. Long known as an NBA “iron man,” the former Suns wing is going through a tough stretch on the court: over his last six games, he’s averaging just 6.7 points on 29% shooting and 21% from beyond the arc.
Not the kind of production expected from a wing for whom the New York Knicks reportedly gave up as many as six first-round picks in the 2023 trade with the Brooklyn Nets. Could it be that he’s starting to feel the toll of 626 consecutive games played since 2018?
On one hand, the former Phoenix Suns forward (who signed an extension last summer after turning down a trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo) holds an unmatched durability record among active players. On the other, his current impact appears to be in sharp decline.
An anomaly for a player accustomed to steady averages of around 15 points per game, backed by an efficient 48% from the field and a strong 37% from three-point range:
Six hundred twenty-sixth consecutive game… some people think he should take a day off
Mike Breen, NBA commentator
It has nothing to do with that… he’s lost a bit of confidence, he just needs to find it again
Drexler
Mike Brown backs Bridges
Even “iron men” are allowed to feel some wear and tear. However, this dip in form doesn’t seem to concern head coach Mike Brown, who – after his New York Knicks’ convincing 136-110 win at Madison Square Garden over the Indiana Pacers – defended his forward. Despite a 10-point outing on 4-of-12 shooting, the coach pushed back against recent criticism of the player’s declining production:
He’s always been a key player for us. Moments like this can happen… trying to get him one or two more shots late was exactly what we wanted to do
Mike Brown
Mikal Bridges’ performance is one of the keys to the New York Knicks’ long-term success. And if New York wants to return to the Eastern Conference Finals, it will be crucial for every piece of the puzzle to fall into place.