Thu Mar 13 04:50:00 UTC 2025: **Knicks Star Bridges Urges Thibodeau to Shorten Starters’ Minutes, Citing Bench Strength**

PORTLAND, OR – New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges, known for his incredible durability, has called on head coach Tom Thibodeau to reduce the playing time of the starting five. Bridges, who recently hit a game-winning buzzer-beater in a 114-113 overtime victory against the Portland Trail Blazers, expressed concern over the starters’ heavy workload and the untapped potential of the bench.

“Sometimes it’s not fun on the body,” Bridges said, highlighting the need to give more minutes to reserves. “We’ve got a lot of good guys on this team that can take away minutes. It helps keep fresh bodies out there.” While acknowledging Thibodeau’s receptiveness to the suggestion, Bridges noted the coach’s tendency to stick to his strategies.

Bridges’ comments echo growing criticism surrounding Thibodeau’s minutes distribution, a long-standing point of contention. Former Knick Channing Frye recently blamed the coach for recurring injuries among players, stating that consistently playing 40 minutes a night is unsustainable. This sentiment was also shared by Kevin Garnett, who played under Thibodeau in Boston, suggesting Knicks players should directly address the coach’s approach.

Currently, only Jalen Brunson is sidelined among the Knicks’ starting lineup due to a sprained ankle. However, three Knicks starters rank in the top 10 for average minutes played, including Josh Hart, who has voiced his appreciation for the extended court time.

Despite Bridges’ concerns, he remains optimistic about his own performance and the team’s potential. The Knicks’ bench has shown recent improvement with the return of Mitchell Robinson and the strong play of Landry Shamet, but the team still struggles to generate points from the bench, partially attributed to the significant minutes played by the starters. The acquisition of Bridges this summer, though initially showing some dips in production, is seen as a key component to addressing these concerns.

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