“Don’t Talk to Each Other”: Mikal Bridges Highlights Concerning Knicks Issue as Jalen Brunson Shares Blame for Loss

The New York Knicks suffered a defeat against the Detroit Pistons, who pulled off a 120-111 victory on Saturday night. This win was a significant one for Detroit, as they snapped a 16-game losing streak to the Knicks dating back to 2019. After the loss, the Knicks were left to evaluate what went wrong, and Mikal Bridges pointed to a key factor: communication.

“I think communication, a lot of transition just no talking to each other, and it’s not like a thing that, you know like I said we don’t like each other or anything, it’s just urgency trying to help each other up, it’s like we need to understand that when we don’t talk to each other it’s gonna hurt us,” Bridges said after the matchup.

Bridges’ statement points to a recurring issue with the Knicks’ defense, not just in this game but throughout the season. While communication is a key component, his teammate Jalen Brunson offered a different perspective, emphasizing that the blame shouldn’t fall on just one unit or player.

“I think it started from just the beginning, uh, our physicality from the start, uh I mean you can’t give a great player confidence from the beginning, and um we did that as a team and no one is just, it’s not one person’s job to guard or whatever, um it’s all five of us, you know we all have a part in it,” Brunson explained.

Defense is a team effort, and it’s something the Knicks will need to work on together to improve. The team will need to find ways to be more physical from the start and ensure that everyone on the floor is engaged in their defensive responsibilities.

Is the Knicks’ defense not good enough?

Mikal Bridges has been vocal about New York’s defensive struggles, not only in their loss to the Pistons but throughout the season, and the numbers back up his criticism. The Knicks currently have a defensive rating of 114.1, ranking 18th in the league. For a team with aspirations of making a deep playoff run, that’s simply not good enough.

One key area of concern is their ability to force turnovers. The Knicks average just 7.3 steals per game, ranking 25th out of all 30 NBA teams. This stat, in particular, highlights their lack of defensive pressure. When it comes to blocks, they aren’t much better, averaging only 4.2 per game, which ranks 27th in the league.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. The Knicks have been effective at limiting their opponents’ scoring off turnovers, allowing just 14.3 points per game—ranking 4th in the league. Additionally, they don’t give up much in the paint, which is a positive sign. Despite these strengths, their overall defensive effort needs improvement, particularly in creating turnovers and protecting the rim.

To turn things around, star defenders like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges will need to step up. The Knicks will need to tighten up their defense as a team, and if they can do that, it could make a huge difference in their pursuit of a playoff spot.