Mikal Bridges erupts for season-high 31 points, Knicks wallop undermanned Pelicans, 118-85

NEW YORK — This is how contenders handle shorthanded opponents: by taking them to the woodshed and delivering a thorough beating.

The New York Knicks extended their impressive streak to seven wins in their last nine games with a 118-85 blowout victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.

The Pelicans (4-17), limping into Madison Square Garden on a seven-game losing streak, have now dropped 14 of their last 15 games. They came into the matchup missing key starters Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones, as well as reserves Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins — a playoff-hopeful team decimated by injuries.

It was a chance for the Knicks to atone after nearly stumbling just two days prior in a sloppy performance against the undermanned Charlotte Hornets.

In that game, despite facing a roster stripped of LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Grant Williams, Mark Williams, Nick Richards and Tre Mann, the Knicks barely eked out a one-point victory, weighed down by turnovers and sluggish energy.

Three days after Thanksgiving, however, the Knicks looked rejuvenated. Against the Pelicans, it was New York dishing out the lopsided punishment.

New Orleans didn’t crack double digits until the final minute of the first quarter, and their total of 28 first-half points marked the lowest-scoring half for any team this season. For the Knicks, it was their best defensive half in over 20 years, a milestone not seen since a 2001 matchup against the Golden State Warriors.

“[The Pelicans are a] good offensive rebounding team,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said before the game. “I say it all the time: You can’t get here without being a great player, so 1 through 18, they’re all great players.”

Still, the Knicks didn’t let up, suffocating New Orleans on both ends of the floor. For Mikal Bridges, the game was an opportunity to break out of his shooting slump.

The Knicks acquired Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets at the steep price of five first-round picks, banking on his ability to deliver on both ends. After some inconsistent scoring performances — including an eight-point outing against Charlotte — there was some cause for concern.

But on Sunday, Bridges rediscovered his rhythm.

The Knicks wing erupted for a season-high 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting, including 7 of 12 from three. Bridges sliced through the Pelicans’ depleted defense with aggression and confidence — a stark contrast to his recent struggles.

“I think just my teammates, coaches, everybody around me just picking me up, just telling me to stay confident and stay with it,” Bridges said in his walk-off interview after the game. “My teammates were finding me and I was just being aggressive as well.”

Ahead of tipoff, head coach Tom Thibodeau credited Bridges’ patience and poise, emphasizing the importance of sticking to fundamentals.

“The thing is the game tells you what to do. I say that all the time, so just shoot good shots. That’s it. If you’re open, you shoot it,” Thibodeau said pregame. “I think getting easy baskets is important. I think the last two games, we played at a slower pace, so hopefully we get our legs back and play faster. I think moving without the ball, he’s always been a great cutter, he’s always been good in transition, and then the corner threes, he shot extremely well throughout his career. So just take good shots. It’ll come around.”

Jalen Brunson added 16 points and nine assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns dominated the glass, pulling down 19 rebounds to go with 14 points in just 25 minutes. With the game well in hand, Thibodeau sat his starters — Brunson, Towns and OG Anunoby — late in the third quarter and fully cleared the bench with over nine minutes remaining in the fourth.

On the defensive end, the Knicks were stifling.

No Pelicans player scored more than 13 points, and New York held New Orleans’ starters to a meager 21-of-58 shooting (36%). Meanwhile, the Knicks rained threes, shooting 20 of 45 from beyond the arc while holding the Pelicans to a paltry 4 of 27 from deep.

The win sets up an intriguing challenge for Tuesday, as the Knicks host the Orlando Magic at the Garden.

The Magic, currently missing 2022 Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero due to an oblique injury, are far from an easy target. They ride into New York on a six-game winning streak, having won 12 of their last 13 games — a stark contrast to the Pelicans’ struggles — as they ride Franz Wagner, who is on a Most Improved Player of the Year campaign.

The Knicks will need to bring the same energy and execution they displayed Sunday to contend with Orlando’s surging squad. But if their recent form is any indication, New York is more than capable of answering the bell.

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