Winning at the highest level is another beast, but the team chemistry with the addition of Bridges pushes New York to contender status. The space to operate on the floor just got bigger as Bridges is shooting a respectable 37% from behind the arc. There will be no mass double teams for Brunson and Randle to handle as Bridges demands the defense’s attention.
For stretches, you can change who is the first option to give rest or draw attention away from, say, Brunson or Randle. This luxury will result in big scoring nights from Randle, Brunson and even Anunoby. One level down, players like Donte Divincenzo, coming off a career-high year, and Josh Hart will have even more open looks, which raises the bar for the New York Knicks.