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DETROIT — Mikal Bridges could have been hesitant after his rough fourth quarter — in which he missed four critical shots in the final four minutes — cost the Knicks a chance to win Game 2.
But he responded with his most well-rounded showing of the series during the Knicks’ 118-116 Game 3 win Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Bridges finished with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field and 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range along with seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.
It was the most points, rebounds and assists he’s had in the series.
Much was made of Jalen Brunson and the Knicks’ need to improve their ball movement after Game 2.
Bridges certainly benefitted from exactly that in Game 3.
“That’s how you’re gonna win games,” Bridges said after practice on Saturday. “You can’t do it by yourself, it takes everybody. Just moving the ball, playing as a unit, it’s gonna be good looks.”
Bridges’ defense was also pivotal in the win.
OG Anunoby has been the primary Knicks defender on Cade Cunningham, but the Pistons have routinely set screen after screen on him throughout the series in order to get a different defender on Cunningham.
Often, that results in Bridges switching onto Cunningham.
And in Game 3, Cunningham went 0-for-4 from the field with two turnovers when guarded by Bridges.
For the game, Cunningham finished with 24 points, but on 10-of-25 shooting from the field along with six turnovers.
“I think it’s two different looks,” Bridges said of how he and Anunoby defend Cunningham. “Any guy that’s going [against us] is going to get a different look from me and OG. You give really good guys, really good players the same looks, they’ll be able to beat it. So just mix it up sometimes, [that] will help.”
Cunningham erupted in Game 2 for 33 points.
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But Bridges and Anunoby have largely been able to contain him in the other two games of the series.
“With a guy like Cade, you’ve got to try to make him work as much as you can,” coach Tom Thibodeau said on Saturday. “He’s a great player and it requires your whole team. It’s not just one particular guy, but it’s everybody working in unison and to have the wherewithal to continue to do it over and over again and communicate early.
“And you have to be aggressive and you have to challenge shots. And he has the ability when you challenge his shot, to make it. So we know that it requires a lot, it requires great effort.”
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