These past few games, we’re starting to see the very best of Mikal Bridges again, which has been a reminder that there was a reason the Knicks targeted Bridges in the first place.

At this time last season, Mikal Bridges gave a disheartened press conference about New York Knicks fans taking over a Brooklyn Nets home game at Barclays Center. One year later, he was on the other end of the crosstown rivalry.

Mikal Bridges proved to be a Net gain for the New York Knicks on Friday night. Bridges has struggled to find his Manhattan footing since donning a Knicks jersey

Josh Hart was traded for one first-round pick. Mikal Bridges, the spotlighted player Friday for the interborough rivalry game, cost the Knicks five.

Did the New York Knicks overpay when they traded for SF Mikal Bridges? He is averaging (15.3) points per game in nine starts.

Mikal Bridges chose to focus on the positives when asked about his first matchup versus his former team, the Brooklyn Nets.

The Knicks landed Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster deal last summer that sent shockwaves across the NBA. Whether or not he actually forced his way out of Brooklyn, as some reported, is anyone’s guess. The move was designed to further bolster New York’s championship odds.