Eighty-two. Seventy-three. Seventy-two. Eighty-two. Eighty-three. Eighty-two. Eighty-two — and now 29.
Mikal Bridges’ observe report of excellent attendance reads like an NBA head coach’s fantasy.
Mike Brown resides that fantasy in actual time throughout his first season at Madison Sq. Backyard, guiding a Knicks workforce with championship aspirations. Bridges isn’t only a premier two-way wing able to locking down the league’s finest scorers one evening and detonating offensively the following.
He’s additionally the league’s reigning, uncontested ironman. If there’s any certainty to the Knicks’ season this yr, it’s Bridges suiting up for tipoff each evening.
And in a league more and more formed by load administration and star absences, Bridges’ availability has change into its personal aggressive benefit — one you’ll be able to’t fairly put a worth on (although the Knicks would possibly argue in any other case after surrendering 5 first-round picks to amass him from Brooklyn, then signing him to a four-year, $150 million extension this summer time).
“The best ability is availability, and to have that is a big thing,” Brown stated after apply in Tarrytown earlier this month, simply earlier than the workforce boarded its flight to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinal. “And anybody — everybody — would love to have that.”
Bridges is the one present participant to look in 500 consecutive video games, with 600 looming. He and Golden State’s Buddy Hield are the one energetic gamers who haven’t missed a recreation over the previous 5 seasons. And in 2023, after a midseason commerce from Phoenix to Brooklyn created an additional contest on his schedule, Bridges grew to become the primary participant since Josh Smith in 2014-15 to look in 83 regular-season video games.
On Christmas Day in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bridges will transfer into eleventh place all-time in consecutive video games performed, surpassing James Donaldson’s mark of 586 set in 1981. He can move Jack Twyman and John Stockton (tied for ninth at 609) as quickly as January, and overtake Andre Miller’s 632-game streak to face alone in eighth place by season’s finish.
“He takes care of his body. He does a great job taking care of his body,” Brown stated. “I don’t know what his sleep patterns are like, but I know that he works extremely hard with his preparation. And when you work as hard as he does with your preparation, usually good things happen. And then probably got good genes. So thanks mama.”
Bridges hasn’t missed a recreation since highschool. He performed 116 straight at Villanova, the place Jalen Brunson first noticed the lengths his teammate would go to simply to be accessible.
Now reunited in New York, Brunson says nothing has modified.
“He takes care of his body. He works tremendously hard,” Brunson stated. “He’s a psychopath when it comes to his craft. So he’s really locked in with everything he needs to do to make sure he’s ready. And that’s just who he’s been since I’ve met him.”
A psychopath?
“That’s not my story to tell,” Brunson stated with a smile. “But he’s a lunatic for sure.”
Bridges owned the label moments later.
“Maybe a little bit of a psychopath, but nothing crazy,” he stated. “Just trying to take care of it every single day. Try to stay up on it.”
What would possibly learn as lunacy from the skin has change into ritual for the NBA’s longest-standing ironman.
“I take advantage of the cold tubs, always get a massage before the game, the stretcher routine and everything,” Bridges stated. “I think it’s just being consistent with it. It’s a long season with a lot of emotions going on. People tend to stop doing all the things. I just try to be consistent all the time and continue to do all the things that are going to get me prepared for the game.”
Bridges isn’t chasing information. But when he finishes this season with excellent attendance as soon as once more, he’ll attain 638 consecutive video games performed. To catch A.C. Inexperienced’s untouchable NBA report of 1,192 straight appearances, Bridges would want 555 extra — roughly seven extra seasons.
That will take him to age 37. Loads of basketball to play. Loads of mileage to accrue. However perhaps not fairly an not possible feat for the basketball psychopath on the unfastened at The Backyard this season.
