Mikal Bridges further cements status as Knicks game-changer: Thankful for his long-ass arms

Silent most of the game, Mikal Bridges required just one play to make himself heard.With 2 seconds left in a tie game, the Bulls ran a crisp inbounds play from the sideline in which Lonzo Ball lobbed into Nikola Vucevic, who caught the ball with his back to the basket and at point-blank range.A few feet from defeat, the Knicks’ only chance involved a 6-foot-6 Mikal Bridges finding a way against a 7-footer.“Not trying to gamble when they threw it in and give up an easy layup,” Bridges would say later.“Just trying to make it tough, trying to time it up.”He suspected Vucevic would put the ball in his right hand.

He knew, with just two ticks remaining, exactly when the shot would need to go up.The ball barely left Vucevic’s hand.Bridges, physically overmatched, remained in between Vucevic and the basket, leapt quickly and swatted the ball and the Bulls’ chances away to send the game into an overtime that the Knicks survived, 113-111, on Thursday at the Garden.“At first I was like, ‘Oh my God,’” Jalen Brunson said as he saw what sure looked like a mismatch under the basket.

“And then he makes the play.I’m like, ‘Oh, good.’“I’m just very thankful for his long-ass arms.”Those long arms are part of the reason the Knicks deemed Bridges worthy of five first-round picks, his defensive versatility arguably a bigger factor than his offensive game.

And if his offense has been somewhat underwhelming — entering play averaging 17.7 points on 49 percent shooting (but just 35.9 percent from deep), 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists, looking more like a nice piece than another building block — his defense has been there when the Knicks have needed it.Just before the All-Star break, his block of Trae Young’s floater helped preserve a win over the Hawks.In November, his block of then-Net Dennis Schröder helped fend off the Nets.This time, the Knicks were shorthanded and needed help on a night Bridges’ shot was not falling (finishing 6-for-16 and...