Mikal Bridges asked Tom Thibodeau to play Knicks’ starters fewer minutes: ‘It’s not fun on the body’

According to NBA reporter Stefan Bondy of The New York Post, Mikal Bridges asked Tom Thibodeau to play the New York Knicks‘ starters fewer minutes. 

Thibodeau, who has coached the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Knicks, has a history of playing his starters too many minutes. 

“Sometimes it’s not fun on the body,” Bridges said. “You’ll want that as a coach but also talked to him a little bit knowing that we’ve got a good enough team where our bench guys can come in and we don’t need to play 48, 47. We’ve got a lot of good guys on this team that can take away minutes. Which helps the defense, helps the offense, helps tired bodies being out there and giving up all these points. It helps just keeping fresh bodies out there.”

Josh Hart and Bridges are tied for first in the NBA in minutes per game at 37.8.

OG Anunoby is in sixth place (36.6) and Jalen Brunson is in 19th place (35.4). 

“I think he’s not arguing about it. Sometimes I think he just gets in his ways and he gets locked in. He just wants to keep the guy out there,” Bridges said. “Sometimes you’ve got to tell him, like Landry (Shamet), for example or somebody, keep him out there, they’re playing well.”

The Knicks are 41-23 on the season. They are in third place in the Eastern Conference standings. 

Bridges is in his first season with the Knicks. He’s averaging 17.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 49.2% from the field, 34.9% from beyond the arc and 75.7% from the free-throw line. 

“I think it’s something you never really get used to,” Bridges said. “Your body is going to feel how it is every year. But I’ve been a part of it for a while, knowing how to take care of my body through those situations and just trying to do as much as I can.”