Mikal Bridges can’t guard guards anymore. That is the unfortunate truth, and the New York Knicks need to accept it now, before it becomes a problem. Do not get me wrong, he is still a high-level defender, but asking him to chase quick ball-handlers over screens like he did back in his Phoenix Suns days? It's just not going to pan out.
That version of Mikal Bridges is gone
It is easy to forget now, but just a few years ago, Bridges was on the short list for the league’s most respected defenders. In 2022, he did not just flirt with Defensive Player of the Year; he nearly took the award home.