Mikal Bridges Praises Knicks HC Tom Thibodeau

Mikal Bridges is well aware of Tom Thibodeau's New York Knicks perception.

Dec 6, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) reacts after the Nets defeated the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

There appear to be three certainties in life: death, taxes, and New York Knicks forward/guard Mikal Bridges taking the floor for an NBA game.

Bridges has ways to go to catch up to A.C. Green's streak of 1,192 consecutive games played but he was nonetheless given new meaning to the concept of "working overtime," especially in the era of load management. Through six NBA seasons between, Bridges has yet to take a sick day, appearing in each of the first 474 regular season games on his docket.

To that end, pairing Bridges with Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks head coach well-known for putting his men on the floor for extended sessions, seems like a perfect match. Just ask Bridges' old collegiate teammate Josh Hart, who played four complete games during the Knicks' recent playoff run.

Bridges, officially a Knicks now that his trade from the Brooklyn Nets is on the ledgers, remarked that he was well aware of the "jokes" that followed Thibodeau's overtime desires but that he's more than happy to accept such responsibilities.

May 19, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau coaches against the Indiana Pacers during the third quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

"I mean, it's great. Thibs is a great coach," Bridges remarked in his first public comments as a Knick on Tuesday, per video from SNY. "Who doesn't want to play all the time? Just who he is, how he embodies, how structured he is, that's where I came from, high school, college, with Coach Monty (Williams, of Phoenix) as well. I fit for that."

Even a 2023 trade from Phoenix to the Nets couldn't interrupt Bridges streak, as he partook in 83 regular season games over the prior season. Brooklyn's situation became downright dire over the latter portions of the season but Bridges continued to suit up for all 82 games, one of only 17 players to do in the NBA season.

Bridges, however didn't lead the league, as Buddy Hield wound up doing Bridges two better, as he competed in 84 games following an in-season transfer from Indiana to Philadelphia.

As if to continue fulfilling the Thibodeau inspired tropes, Bridges was captured taking to the courts at the Knicks' Tarrytown practice facility, already prepping for hardwood endeavors with collegiate teammates like Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Donte DiVincenzo.

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