While Miles Bridges was pouring in 31 points on the Knicks in Madison Square Garden, he wasn’t just solidifying a play-in spot for his Hornets, while effectively ending New York’s slim postseason hopes.
He was making a continued statement that he tries to provide every time he takes the court of the World’s Most Famous Arena.
Bridges was the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and was on the board for the Knicks at eighth overall, but New York elected to take Kentucky’s Kevin Knox, who was relegated to a bench role with little playing time after being thrown into the fire as a rookie. Now, Bridges has come into his own and become a big-time contributor for Charlotte, while Knox was dealt to the Hawks in a package for Cam Reddish earlier this season.
Wednesday night was the latest opportunity to show the Knicks that they made a mistake on draft night four years ago.
“There’s a lot of history between me and the Knicks organization, going back to draft day,” Bridges said. “So every time I come in, I want to make a point why they should have drafted me back then.”
Bridges is averaging a career-high 20.3 points per game this season while shooting 49 percent from the floor, and one of his best games of the season came in The Garden back in January, when he erupted for 38 points in another Hornets win. Bridges and Charlotte are playoff bound, and the Knicks will be heading home after the regular season, thanks in part to Bridges making himself right at home on the floor that could have been his actual home had the Knicks drafted him in 2018.
“I just try to be aggressive every time I come here and show them what I can do,” Bridges said, “And it’s been working out.”
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