Mikal Bridges Delivered From Deep While Jalen Brunson Found Another Way to Score

The New York Knicks received two very different offensive contributions from Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges against the Detroit Pistons.

Brunson struggled to convert from the field but maintained his scoring through trips to the free-throw line. Bridges supplied the outside accuracy, knocking down four three-pointers to complement Karl-Anthony Towns’ production inside.

Together, their performances illustrated why New York needs multiple ways to generate offense when its leading scorer cannot find his shooting rhythm.

Brunson Turns to the Free-Throw Line

Brunson finished with 23 points and seven assists, despite shooting 5-for-18 from the field and missing all five of his three-point attempts.

His scoring remained substantial because he converted 13 of 16 free throws. More than half of his points came at the stripe, helping him stay productive through a difficult night as a shooter.

That ability is valuable, but the distinction matters: Brunson found a way to contribute without solving his field-goal struggles.

New York will want greater efficiency from its captain going forward. Consistently relying on a large number of free throws would leave his scoring vulnerable on nights when those opportunities are less frequent.

His seven assists provided another contribution, helping teammates become scoring options rather than requiring him to finish every possession himself.

Bridges Supplies the Three-Point Accuracy

Bridges scored 12 points and added four assists, making four of eight attempts from beyond the arc.

All of his points came on three-pointers. His 50 percent conversion rate offered a valuable contrast to Brunson’s difficulties from outside and gave New York a productive perimeter option alongside Towns.

Reliable shooting matters beyond the points it produces. A defender who must respect an outside threat has a more difficult decision when considering whether to help toward the paint.

That does not mean every Towns basket resulted from Bridges’ presence. It does explain why perimeter accuracy and interior scoring can reinforce one another—and why Bridges’ contribution was useful within New York’s broader attack.

The Knicks Gained Nine Points From Beyond the Arc

New York finished 12-for-36 from three-point range, while Detroit went 9-for-37.

The Knicks therefore scored 36 points from three-pointers to the Pistons’ 27, a nine-point advantage from nearly identical attempt totals.

New York’s 33.3 percent shooting was hardly overwhelming, but it was more productive than Detroit’s 24.3 percent. Bridges accounted for one-third of the Knicks’ made threes, making his accuracy an important part of that difference.

The comparison highlights how selective contributions can matter even when a team’s overall shooting performance remains modest.

Different Strengths Give New York More Options

The encouraging takeaway is the variety of contributions.

Brunson generated points at the line and created for teammates. Bridges converted from distance. Towns gave the offense a strong interior presence.

The next step is improving how consistently those strengths work together. Better shooting from Brunson would reduce the burden on other areas, while continued accuracy from Bridges would help maintain a credible outside threat.

Brunson found a way through an inefficient night. Bridges supplied the perimeter shooting New York needed. Both contributions mattered, for different reasons.