Mikal Bridges led the Knicks with 28 points and had a wild plus-43 in Monday night’s 143-106 win over Memphis at Madison Square Garden. But perhaps his most important contribution came on defense, as he helped shut down Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who scored just 10 points on 5-for-13 shooting in the rout.

This version of Mikal Bridges looks nothing like the one Brooklyn traded away, but his revamped role could be the key to New York ascending in the East.

With their lengthy homestand winding down, the New York Knicks treated themselves to Memphis barbecue. The Knicks put up yet another dominant effort in front of an appreciative Madison Square Garden crowd,