Mikal Bridges' Slump Threatens Knicks' Playoff Hopes as 76ers Look to Exploit Weakness

Key facts

• Mikal Bridges averaged 14.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 stocks per game in the 2025-26 regular season.
• Bridges is shooting 25% from three-point range and scoring 7.3 points per game in the playoffs.
• He has five turnovers to six assists and just two steals with zero blocks in four playoff games.
• The Knicks owe Bridges $150 million over the next four seasons.
• Bridges delivered a controversial hit to Joel Embiid's midsection in Game 1 of the second-round series.
• Paul George shot 55% from deep on 5.7 attempts per game in the first round against Boston.
• A proposed trade would send Bridges to Toronto for Brandon Ingram, who averaged 21.5 points this season.

A Costly Collision and a Deeper Decline

In the second quarter of Monday's Game 1 at Madison Square Garden, Mikal Bridges slammed into Joel Embiid while fighting over a screen, leaving the Philadelphia 76ers' center doubled over in pain. The hit, which drew immediate accusations of dirty play, came just weeks after Embiid returned from an emergency appendectomy. Yet the incident is merely the most visible symptom of a far more troubling trend for the New York Knicks. Bridges, acquired in a blockbuster 2024 trade that cost five first-round picks, an unprotected pick swap, a second-round pick, and three players, was supposed to be the missing championship piece. Instead, his production has cratered in his second season with the franchise. After a promising debut year, he averaged 14.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 stocks per game in the regular season — numbers that have only worsened in the playoffs.

Playoff Numbers That Spell Trouble

Through four postseason games, Bridges is shooting a dismal 25 percent from three-point range and scoring just 7.3 points per contest. His playmaking has evaporated: he has five turnovers against only six assists, and his defensive impact — once his calling card — has vanished, with just two steals and zero blocks. The Knicks, who owe him $150 million over the next four seasons, are watching their investment deteriorate in real time. Head coach Mike Brown has few alternatives. The options behind Bridges are all small guards, and Jordan Clarkson, the primary backup, has not provided a solution. The team is stuck with a struggling forward who cannot be excised from the rotation without exposing other weaknesses.

Philadelphia's Game Plan: Exploit Bridges' Weakness

For the 76ers, Bridges' slump presents a golden opportunity. Paul George, fresh off a first-round series in which he shot 55 percent from deep on 5.7 attempts per game while locking down Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, is the ideal defender to exploit Bridges' inefficiency. George's defensive intelligence allows him to navigate screens and contest three-point attempts — Bridges' primary scoring outlet. Even when Bridges finds his rhythm, as he did in a 24-point outing in Game 6 against Atlanta, he remains a liability on the other end. George's offensive production, particularly from beyond the arc, could force the Knicks to reconsider Bridges' minutes. Philadelphia cannot afford to waste this edge, especially with Embiid's miraculous recovery and Tyrese Maxey's emergence driving the team's postseason run.

A Trade on the Horizon?

The Knicks' long-term predicament has not gone unnoticed. A trade proposal from Heavy.com would send Bridges to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, a 28-year-old forward who averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists this season. Ingram, the second overall pick in 2016, would provide a scoring punch that Bridges has failed to deliver. However, the Raptors face their own complications: Ingram and Scottie Barnes both operate in the same areas of the court, leading to reduced touches for both. A fresh start might benefit both players, but any deal would require the Knicks to find a taker for Bridges' $150 million contract — a difficult proposition given his current form.

The Stakes of a Series Defined by One Player's Fall

The Knicks' decision to bet heavily on Bridges now looks like a gamble that may define their season. With the 76ers holding a crucial edge, the series hinges on whether Bridges can rediscover his form or whether Philadelphia will continue to exploit his struggles. For a player who once made the All-Defensive First Team and was considered a model of consistency, the fall has been swift and costly. As the playoffs progress, the Knicks must decide whether to ride out Bridges' slump or make a desperate adjustment. The answer will determine not only the outcome of this series but the trajectory of a franchise that invested its future in a player who has, so far, failed to deliver.

The bottom line

• Mikal Bridges' playoff performance has sharply declined, with shooting percentages and defensive metrics well below expectations.
• The Knicks' massive investment in Bridges — five first-round picks and a $150 million contract — is under scrutiny as he struggles.
• Philadelphia 76ers are poised to exploit Bridges' slump, with Paul George as the primary defensive weapon.
• A potential trade sending Bridges to Toronto for Brandon Ingram has been proposed, but faces obstacles due to Bridges' contract and fit issues.
• The series outcome may hinge on whether Bridges can recover his form or become a permanent liability for New York.