Mikal Bridges recently requested Tom Thibodeau to reduce his minutes, but the New York Knicks head coach denied such a conversation took place.
Thibodeau has had a reputation for overworking his players to the detriment of their health. New York entered Wednesday’s game against Portland near the bottom of the league in bench points, a product of the team’s starters soaking up many minutes.
“We never had a conversation about it,” Thibodeau said via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “The facts are the facts: Your wings play more. So they’re matched up with primary scorers.”
“Try to keep the matchups. When you look at the league, all those guys are playing 35, 36 minutes — whether it’s (Kevin) Durant, Tatum or a Brown. A wing is going to play more. They’re primary wing defenders. That’s the way the league works,” he added.
New York Knicks News: Mikal Bridges sinks game-winning trey vs. Portland Trail Blazers
The New York Knicks secured a 114-113 overtime win over the Portland Trail Blazers last night, as Mikal Bridges hit the game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer.
Credit: Getty Images
Bridges finished with 33 points (game-high), four rebounds, and four assists on 13-for-21 shooting from the field. OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Miles McBride added 23, 21, 11, and 11 points.
The New York Knicks will visit the Golden State Warriors this Saturday night.
