Mikal Bridges, who silenced most of the game, needed one play to hear himself.
With two seconds left in the tie game, the Bulls performed a refreshing inbound play from the sideline, with Lonzo's ball lobbing on Nikolavesevic and turning his back to the basket to catch the ball.
A few feet after the defeat, the Knicks' only chance involved the 6-foot-6-foot Mikal Bridge.
“We don't try to gamble when they throw it and give up a simple layup,” Bridges will say later. “We're trying to make it difficult and we're trying to time it up.”
He suspected that Vsevic would place the ball in his right hand. He knew for just two ticks left that remained exactly when the shot needed to go up.
The ball barely left Vucevic's hand.
The physically overmatched bridge remained between Vsevic and basket, quickly jumping up and slamming the ball, and the Bulls' chance sent the game into overtime where the 113-111 Knicks survived in the yard on Thursday.
“It was like, 'Oh my god' at first,” Jalen Branson said he saw something that looked like a mismatch under the basket. “Then he plays. I say, 'Oh, fine.'
“I am very grateful for his years.”
These long arms are part of why the Knicks considered the bridge worthy of five first round picks, and his defensive versatility is undoubtedly a greater factor than his offensive game.
And if his offense is somewhat overwhelming – 49% shots averaged 17.7 points (but only 35.9% from the deep), 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists, making for a better piece than another building block. It looks like that. The Knicks need it.
Just before the All-Star break, Tray Young's floater block helped maintain his victory over the Hawks.
In November, his block of the then Net Dennis Schroeder helped dodge the net.
This time, the Knicks were Hayōto and needed help with Nightbridge shots (finishing 6-6 and 5-5 with 13 points).
He again showed that he doesn't need to pour points to change the game.
“It's really amazing to have a guy deep in the post and get that kind of block,” Deuce McBride said.
The Knicks' all-around game wasn't surprising, but their defenses in key moments rose.
There was Ariel Fukulti's vicious Coby White's brutal block in the fourth quarter.
There were choking defenses from “others” – the precious Acuva and Landry Shemet – were the final possessions of overtime that ended with a mistake by Vosevic.
And then there was a bridge and once again he defended his best when the moment asked for it.
“Big time,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We need everyone, we shorten it. The margin of error is tight. Get out there and play as hard as you can and find a way to win. That's what we did tonight. I think so.”
