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If you have a game to play in the NBA and need a player to suit up, look no further than Mikal Bridges. He has not missed a single contest over the course of his NBA career at any of his three stops, and has been able to play through it all.
In a league where missing games and recovering from injuries, load management and all have become normal, this guy has been there. 610 games and counting later, Bridges is still going strong and logging big minutes for the New York Knicks.
Of course, tonight’s contest against the Pacers put him in elite company. He has a top-10 streak for consecutive contests suited up for at 610.
He moved past Utah Jazz legend John Stockton to sneak inside at the ninth-longest now. Let’s dive more into how he’s been able to do it, and what it’s meant.
Mikal Bridges Makes More History
Since entering the NBA, Mikal Bridges has played in every single game he has been eligible for. There has not been a missed contest, and it’s been a testament to how he’s prepared himself and gone about his business.
Of course for Bridges, there was one game he started, and came out of right away. Even so, that was the 83rd game of the 2022-23 campaign. The Suns traded him to the Nets at midseason, giving him an extra game on the calendar. He had already been at 82, and was healthy enough to play and got on the floor, thus legally extending said streak.
Bridges was acquired for a whole slew of draft picks by the Knicks prior to the start of last season. He was a college teammate of Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson, and the reunion saw the team make the Eastern Conference Finals in Year 1.
Bridges has not only been able to play all these games, but do so being heavily featured on both ends. His defensive prowess earned him an All-Defense nod. More of them could also still be there for him in the near future.
For the second straight season, Bridges is shooting 50% from the floor. The numbers in NY have been down from what they were in Brooklyn, but so are his touches. He provides reliable three-and-D play for the team, and will be trying to extend the streak even longer.
Mikal is just 23 games away now from passing Andre Miller and moving into #8 for most played in a row. We’ll see if he can get there, and bring the story back if/when it does happen.
Mikal Bridges, Knicks, Look to Get Back on Track
After dropping two of their past three games, the Knicks will look to knock off the Sixers before heading into the All-Star break. A victory over the Celtics on Sunday now forgotten, Mikal Bridges and co. will hope for one more win.
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will represent the team in both the All-Star Game and Shooting Stars event. The long winning streak now broken, there is that one last chance for the team to get things right before having a full week off.
Coming out of All-Star, the Pistons and Rockets are the first two opponents. No rest for the weary.
A team with expectations of making another deep playoff run, they’ll need everybody ready to go.
Zach Weiss Zach Weiss is a sports reporter covering the NBA for Heavy. He also hosts a podcast about the Cleveland Cavaliers, “Across the Cavs,” and serves as a sports broadcaster for various institutions in the Greater NYC Area. He wrote for Knup Sports for six years. More about Zach Weiss
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