Bridges has been an Ironman his entire career.
The New York Knicks closed out the regular season with a 110-96 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, but nobody in the locker room seemed too concerned about the final score.
With the third seed already locked up, the Knicks rested Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson while Mikal Bridges started the game only to check out after 23 seconds, keeping his consecutive games played streak alive at 638.
After the game, Bridges was asked how he was feeling after playing in all 82 regular season games once again, and his answer captured exactly where this team's head is at heading into the postseason.
"I feel good… We're just going to continue building off of it and just keep grinding and getting better. Playoff season, baby."
A Rollercoaster Year for Bridges
It has been an uneven season for Bridges, who finished the year averaging 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field.
Those numbers are solid enough, but the ride to get there was bumpy.
He had stretches earlier in the season where he looked like a legitimate All-Star candidate, including a hot run through the winter where the Knicks offense was clicking on all levels.
But after the All-Star break he cooled off in a big way, failing to crack 15 points in the majority of his March appearances and looking like a completely different player on the offensive end.
The good news is that the Knicks have won 12 of their last 15 games heading into the playoffs and Bridges does not need to carry the scoring load with Brunson and Towns around him.
His value has always been about defense, consistency and availability, and that part of his game has never wavered.
Why the Hawks Matchup Will Be Tougher Than Expected
The Knicks finished 53-29 as the No. 3 seed in the East and will open the first round against the No. 6 seed Atlanta Hawks, who went 46-36 on the year.
On paper that looks manageable, but Atlanta is not the same team it was in November.
The Hawks barely escaped a Knicks win in Atlanta earlier this month, and that game went down to a controversial last-second review on a CJ McCollum half-court heave.
Since the All-Star break, Atlanta has gone 20-5, one of the best records in the entire league over that stretch, and they rode an 11-game winning streak into the final weeks of the season.
Jalen Johnson has turned into a legitimate star, averaging 22.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 8.1 assists this season while earning his first All-Star nod.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been one of the most improved players in the NBA, and the addition of McCollum after the Trae Young trade gave them a veteran closer they can trust in big moments.
The Knicks have the talent and depth to handle this series, but overlooking a Hawks team playing its best basketball at the right time would be a mistake.
Game 1 tips off Saturday at Madison Square Garden.