Games are remembered for? Wins. Loses. And above all, records. Marking his 556th consecutive game, Mikal Bridges was on the floor for the New York Knicks on April 13. His rivals for the day? The Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center. The known audience and arena seem like a nostalgic trip for the 28-year-old small forward. The seed in the East was almost settled. The Pacers weren’t threatening the third anymore. And then the Knicks’ strategic move to bench four of their five starters opened grounds for Bridges to show what he can do on the floor. Reason? He is Mr. consistent with an average of 37.5 minutes played this regular season! The crowd settled in for another minimum of 30 minutes of just the Bridges show. And what happened next?

Mikal Bridges came in strong but quickly pulled off a sneaky move, committing a foul within six seconds to avoid playoff risk. The crowd wasn’t having it—Knicks and Nets fans alike grumbled, disappointed by the short show. Landry Shamet jumped in, taking his spot, while sidelined stars like OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns stewed in frustration. The announcers couldn’t resist: “Don’t cheat the system.” Because ethics came the way. But for the Knicks, it is just another game of chess, where everything is fair, just like war.

However, Bridges became the first New Yorker to play in all 82 games since Robin Lopez in 2015-16. The stunt he pulled to keep his game streak going may seem extreme to many. In the final game of the regular season, with the Knicks resting most of their core players ahead of the playoffs, Bridges suited up and checked in—only to check right back out after just six seconds on the floor. It was a calculated move, designed solely to preserve his Ironman streak, now eyeing an incredible 557. While some questioned the competitive spirit behind the tactic, he seemed to have no complaints. Meanwhile, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau faces the wrath of the national media, along with his team.

Amidst Mikal Bridges’s historic feat in game streak, Coach Thibodeau’s Knicks face the media’s humiliation

The new “Bad Boys” of the East? The Detroit Pistons. Suddenly? No. A warning was issued. Udonis Haslem tried warning Stephen A. Smith before the recent Knicks-Pistons face-off that, “beware.” Many doubted it, questioning how any team could be better than the third-best in the East. As an absolute NYK fan, Stephen A. didn’t have his receipts in response to Udonis’s jabs. “I’m not that confident with the New York Knicks right now this year,” the veteran analyst said of Mikal Bridges & Co. With Hartenstein, DiVincenzo, and Randle gone, the Knick, although a good offensive team, “they’re devoid of that grit that they had last year,” Smith added.

“And what I don’t like most about this matchup for the Knicks is that Detroit seems to have what the Knicks had last year,” Stephen A. commented. “And that’s that grit, that grind, that they’ll make it ugly.” According to the ESPN veteran, Tom Thibodeau’s team this year lacks the fire they had last year. The Knicks didn’t expect to lose 106-115 to the Pistons, but the defeat wasn’t completely out of the box either. Therefore, with the Playoffs creeping in, Stephen A. Smith is concerned about his favorite team.

Mikal Bridges’ stunt to keep his streak alive was one thing, but the Knicks’ lack of grit was another. The Pistons have taken up the mantle the Knicks left behind, and Stephen A.’s worries are well-founded. With the playoffs looming, Tom Thibodeau‘s squad needs to find its fight before it’s too late.