After the New York Knicks completed an epic Game 4 comeback victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, 107-106, the team is one game away from the franchise’s first championship since 1973. As the Knicks look to close out the NBA Finals in Game 5 on Saturday, Mikal Bridges speaks on how Jalen Brunson has evolved as a player.
There’s no denying that Brunson has cemented himself as an all-time player for New York, especially if the team holds on to win the title, but coming out of Villanova in 2018, a lot has changed. Teammate with Brunson is Bridges, who explained on Friday how the 29-year-old guard has changed over the years.
“Just being in college every single day,” Bridges said, via SNY Knicks. “Obviously, it’s different than different systems in different teams in the league, but I think just coming to New York, his game has grown, but yeah, just a little bit different, I think it’s a little different, I think his scoring went up, so just kind of got to feel that little bit off-ball, but it’s been great, though. I think his progression as a scorer and as a playmaker has just been great for us, you know, not me, but just everybody.”
"I think he's grown as a player and I'm just happy to be here."
Mikal Bridges talks about playing with Jalen Brunson: pic.twitter.com/2Scavs1cyR
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 12, 2026
Knicks’ Mikal Bridges on what has stayed with Jalen Brunson
Bridges would continue to talk about the confidence he has in Brunson on the Knicks, as the star scored 36 points in a historic Game 4 comeback, as the team was down by as many as 29 points.
“The thing I know about Jalen, which it always felt like in college as well, sometimes he might feel like, because how talented he is, that his right read might be him taking a shot when it’s contested, and I came over years known him and being around him, where I think it’s a pretty good decision from him as well…I think he’s grown as a player, and I’m just happy to be here,” Bridges said.
Bridges, Brunson, and the rest of New York look to complete the mission and beat the Spurs on Saturday night to win the NBA Finals.
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