Popper: Knicks’ defensive woes aren’t all Bridges’ fault

The moment we remember is Trae Young dribbling out of the clock near center court at Madison Square Garden as he mimed rolling dice and picking up cash Wednesday night.

But for the Knicks, it wasn’t allowing him to do it on their home floor, but what preceded it that really mattered.

Young won’t get to celebrate the Hawks’ trip to Las Vegas if the Knicks don’t let him do the things he’s done too often at the Garden, the things that allow him to revel in his role as the villain on 34th Street. But he did it by taking over the game in the third quarter, recording 22 points and 11 assists in a 108-100 Atlanta victory that knocked the Knicks out of the NBA Cup and into a consolation trip to Orlando for Sunday’s game.

The Knicks’ defense couldn’t stop Young (12 points, five assists) in the third quarter any more than they could stop him from the end of the game. What was alarming is that the player they gave the assignment to, Mikal Bridges, was supposed to be the defensive stopper.

“Every big player, you don’t guard them individually,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You guard them collectively. If it was a one-on-one game, you could say this didn’t work, because often that’s what comes out of it.

“Is there a big one involved? Is there a little one involved? Is there a switch involved? Is there a blitz involved? Are we touching? Where does the screen appear? And is he on the ball, is he off the ball? It’s things that your team (must) be connected and bonded over.”

Bridges himself said recently: “I’ve got to play better. I’ve been inconsistent. I’ve had some games where I’ve played well, some I haven’t. Just got to find a rhythm in the team. That’s pretty much it .”

Bridges has taken his share of the blame for the Knicks’ inability to get on track after having high expectations entering the season.

The offense has been inconsistent, but the Knicks have no problems on that end of the floor and are ranked in the top three in the league in offensive rating.

But defensively, the hope was that Bridges and OG Anunoby would provide a defensive wing pairing that could serve as a counter to the talented offensive players the Knicks have to shut down this season.

“I know it’s a huge change for him on both sides of the ball,” Josh Hart said. “He was number one in the last year and a half, getting 20, 25, 30 play calls to you, to being the third, fourth option and no play calls. It requires an adaptation process. Not just physically being in a new place, but also mentally. It’s something that takes some time to find your rhythm offensively. And we have to continue to find him when he’s open and let him play.

“Defensively, sometimes we give him what seems like an impossible task. He doesn’t shy away from it. So that’s something we have to help him on both sides of the ball because he does what we ask of him.

Sometimes (I) can kind of help him a little bit defensively and be that point guard and protect the ball and kind of get him off the ball and let him roam and let him play in the passing lanes and block shots and do things like that of things.

“He adjusts. It takes a second. On both sides of the ball, he’s asked to sacrifice a lot and do a lot.”

What accompanies most of the criticism of Bridges is the price the Knicks paid for him — five first-round picks, a first-round trade and a second-round pick, a move the Knicks had kept stuck for years in search of a star.

Earlier in the season, Hart drew on the cost, referring to it as five 12th graders.

And it won’t hurt if two things happen: The picks are late first-rounders because the Knicks are good — and the Knicks get the title that has eluded them for more than 50 years.

Trade time?

The NBA trade market opens in earnest Sunday with the Dec. 15 deadline allowing 85 free agents signed in the offseason to be dealt. (Miami and Indiana already started early with a deal that sent Thomas Bryant to the Pacers, which cannot be officially completed until this date.)

The trade deadline is Feb. 6, but a constant with the Knicks’ front office has moved ahead of that date.

The problem this time is that they’re teetering dangerously close to second place — they’re about $500,000 away from it — and don’t have many assets. But that doesn’t mean they won’t look.

Mitchell Robinson remains their most intriguing piece as he continues to rehabilitate from ankle surgery. With the arrival of Karl-Anthony Towns, Robinson became a luxury, a defensive piece to serve as a backup or work alongside Towns (if he gets healthy).

The Knicks have protected him and given him much longer than expected. It was either to ensure his health or to protect their asset.

The legal battle continues

The long-running feud between the Knicks and Toronto Raptors that dates to August 2023 — centered around the Raptors’ hiring of video coordinator Ike Azotam and his sharing of what the Knicks said were proprietary scouting materials — has taken another turn.

The New York courts sent the case back to the NBA in June with the intent that it be settled under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. The Knicks and Raptors sent a joint letter to the court Friday saying no progress has been made.

A spokesperson for MSG Sports said in a statement: “We have been awaiting any guidance from the NBA on the next steps in this matter for months – proving our point that the NBA is unable to properly and fairly deal with this serious theft of proprietary and confidential files. Unfortunately, due to the clear conflict of interest between the commissioner and the chairman of the NBA, there has been complete silence from the league.”

Larry Tanenbaum, the chairman of the NBA, is chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, owner of the Raptors, and is close to commissioner Adam Silver.