Leon Roses taking Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges trade risks paying off for Knicks
Three months apart, the Knicks pulled the trigger on two major offseason trades.First, on June 25, they sent the Nets five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, reuniting him with college teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo.Then, on Sept.
27, came another big trade, the Knicks sending Julius Randle and DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns.The moves involved risk, significant assets being dealt.But when Leon Rose bit the bullet with those acquisitions, this is what he had in mind: The Knicks getting over their second-round hump, reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years.The transition wasn’t seamless.
It was an up-and-down regular season for Bridges.Towns performed well, but hasn’t been as productive in the postseason.
There were questions about this group’s overall toughness entering the playoffs.When it has mattered most, however, the duo has come through.They have thrived under pressure, both key contributors in the Knicks’ wild run that has included fourth-quarter comebacks in seven of their eight wins in the playoffs.“Any time you can do something special here in the city in New York, obviously it’s magnified by five,” Towns said Tuesday, on the eve of Game 1 against the Pacers at the Garden.
“To find success here in New York is something that is not for everyone, and it’s something that is very difficult to do.For us to be in this position shows that we stepped up to the challenge and [we also have] the benefit of having amazing teammates and support systems — both of us.”Bridges was terrific in the second-round upset of the Celtics, making the game-clinching defensive plays to cap rallies from 20 points down in Games 1 and 2, and exploding for 22 points in Game 6.
Nobody is wondering if he was worth all those draft picks now.“Talk about a confidence booster — that’s a confidence booster,” Brunson said Tuesday on his “The Roommates Show” podcast with Hart.“...