Bridges spotlights Diawara's explosive 14-point effort.
The New York Knicks snapped the San Antonio Spurs' 11-game winning streak on Sunday with a dominant 114-89 victory at Madison Square Garden, and while the win itself was impressive, it was what Mikal Bridges had to say after the game about rookie Mohamed Diawara that stood out the most.
Diawara came off the bench and scored 14 points in the blowout, connecting on four of his 13 three-point attempts while adding energy on both ends of the floor.
When asked about the 20-year-old's performance in the postgame, Bridges didn't hesitate to talk him up.
"Yeah, Mo really talented man and understanding game at a young age," Bridges said. "Yeah, just keep shooting it. I think he even knew just getting his feet set. I don't think he's probably been guarded when nobody's guarding him probably in a long time, you know. So get adjusted to that in that situation and having his feet set and being ready. But he does, he doesn't lack confidence at all."
Bridges Leads the Way Against San Antonio
Bridges backed up his words with his own play on Sunday, leading the Knicks with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting while drilling five threes and adding five rebounds and five steals.
It was another strong outing in what has been a productive stretch for the veteran wing, who has been shooting the ball well and playing some of the best defense on the team over the past few weeks.
On the season, Bridges is averaging 15.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game while maintaining his iron man streak, having never missed a game in his NBA career.
Jalen Brunson chipped in 24 points and seven assists while Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed 14 rebounds in the win.
The Knicks jumped out on a 26-2 run between the first and second quarters that completely changed the game after San Antonio had built a 19-7 lead early on.
The Spurs never recovered, and head coach Mitch Johnson pulled his starters by the fourth quarter.
With the win, the Knicks improved to 39-22 on the season and sit third in the Eastern Conference.
They have now won four of their last five games and 14 of their last 18 overall.
The Spurs dropped to 43-17 but still hold the second seed in the Western Conference.
Diawara's Growing Role in New York
Bridges' praise of Diawara carries extra weight because the rookie's role has been anything but stable this season.
The 51st overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Diawara came to New York after the Los Angeles Clippers traded his rights to the Knicks before the season started.
He didn't play college basketball, spending the 2024-25 season with French club Cholet Basket, and nobody expected him to carve out a real rotation spot on a team with title hopes.
But Diawara has done exactly that.
He has appeared in 50 games this season and is shooting nearly 40 percent from three on the year, showing the kind of shooting touch and defensive awareness that you rarely see from a second-round rookie.
Head coach Mike Brown has praised his unshakable confidence, noting that whether he starts, comes off the bench, or doesn't play at all, Diawara never seems rattled by the situation.
His minutes have gone back and forth with buyout addition Jeremy Sochan, who the Knicks picked up after San Antonio waived him.
Sochan has struggled in his limited opportunities, and Diawara has continued to make a strong case for being the go-to option off the bench at the forward spot.
Sunday's game against the Spurs was another example of that, as he brought energy and shooting off the bench that helped the Knicks blow the game open.
What's Next
The Knicks head to Toronto on Tuesday to face the Raptors before a difficult stretch that includes games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets later in the week.
If Diawara keeps playing the way he has and earning that kind of praise from veterans like Bridges, his role should only continue to grow as New York pushes toward the postseason.