On Wednesday, the New York Knicks stunned the Boston Celtics in Game 2 with a 91-90 victory. During the final moments of the game, Jalen Brunson gave the Knicks the upper hand with a one-point lead. On the other end, the Celtics gave the ball to All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, who found a mismatch against Mitchell Robinson. However, New York hounded Tatum, which led him to dish the ball out.
Unfortunately for Tatum, Bridges helped the defense and stole the pass, which sealed the win. Much like in Game 1, the defensive awareness of the forward prevailed in the most-needed moments of the game.
In their first contest of the best-of-seven series, the former Villanova forward stole the ball from Jaylen Brown, who wanted to try and send the game to overtime. However, Bridges’ defense prevented the Celtics from extending the game, and the Celtics won 108-105.
Watch the sequence below to see the defensive brilliance of Bridges in Game 2.
CLUTCH DEFENSE FROM MIKAL BRIDGES TO SEAL THE GAME AGAIN 😱 pic.twitter.com/2tSlC48DXj
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 8, 2025
The former Phoenix Suns forward had 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Defensively, he was all over the place with his three steals.
However, the true star of the night was the frontcourt tandem of Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart. Towns had a significant double-double with 21 points and 17 rebounds on an efficient 56.3 percent shooting from the field. Hart, meanwhile, had 23 points and six rebounds. The 6-foot-5 forward was reliable from deep as he shot 50 percent.
The New York Knicks trailed most of the game and were down as much as 20 points. However, the Jalen Brunson-led team mounted a comeback and didn’t give up. Game 3 will be on Saturday at Madison Square Garden and the Knicks have a 2-0 advantage in the series.
New York Knicks’ head coach credits Bridges as a “great competitor”
Bridges has made a name for himself as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. Even in his time in Phoenix, where he was a bit younger, he would often take on the task of guarding the opposing team’s best player.
In the postseason, his defense has been important for the New York Knicks as they go up against the defending champions. After Game 2, head coach Tom Thibodeau complimented Bridges for being a “great competitor.”
“I think one of the things I respect about him is his demeanor. He just keeps marching forward,” Thibodeau said. “He doesn’t get too high, he doesn’t get too low but he’s he a great competitor. Just find ways to help us win. If your shot’s not dropping, play great defense.”
"One of the things I really respect about him is his demeanor. He just keeps marching forward."
Tom Thibodeau calls Mikal Bridges a "great competitor" pic.twitter.com/BuNcuXYeJo
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 8, 2025
In the playoffs, the 6-foot-6 forward is averaging 15 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 44.6 percent shooting.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
