Three months ago, the New York Knicks pulled off what many thought was impossible, crowning themselves champions of the basketball world for the first time in 53 years. This wasn’t just any title run; it was a journey filled with incredible comeback wins that pushed them to the pinnacle, making their victory feel like it was snatched from the jaws of defeat over and over again. Knicks swingman Mikal Bridges just opened up to Men’s Health about how they survived those overwhelming odds, and what he said makes their championship even crazier.
Unshakeable Faith: The Comeback Playbook
Bridges confirmed what everyone watching already felt: these guys just refused to quit. He brought up Game 1 of the Cavaliers series, where they were down a massive 22 points in the fourth quarter. Crazy, right? He said they’d been in those tough spots before in previous playoffs and succeeded, so they had that faith. Bridges stressed it’s about taking it “one possession at a time.” He knows in today’s fast-paced, three-point heavy game, even being down 27 points at halftime still leaves a ton of time. Plus, playing at home with the crowd behind them? That energy just ratchets up the pressure on the other squad. It’s clear this team had a mental toughness few possess.
The Improbable Finals Shocker That Won It All
Critics had the Knicks a tier below teams like the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Pistons in the East, even with their 53-29 regular season record. But when the playoffs hit, these guys went absolutely wild, dominating the field with a 16-3 record. Still, nothing compares to Game 4 of the Finals. The Knicks were down by as many as 29 points, a seemingly impossible hole to dig out of. Yet, they clawed their way back, winning 107-106 on an OG Anunoby buzzer-beater. Bridges described it like a seasoned boxer who knows what the 12th round feels like, always believing victory was within reach. What a moment for that franchise.
It’s not just pure talent, though they’ve got plenty with guys like Jalen Brunson keeping them in any game. Bridges also talked about how crucial mid-game adjustments and halftime breaks were. Halftime is a moment to “relax and catch your breath,” to understand what needs to be done better, especially when opponents change things up defensively in a series. This was the Finals, after all, and as Bridges put it, “people don’t get here more than once.” This Knicks squad truly understood the moment and maximized every single minute of it. What an unbelievable run to a title nobody saw coming quite like this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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