Mikal Bridges doesn’t live by the old adage: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” »

He entered the NBA as elite college 3-point shooter. He shot 36 percent or better from 3 in five of his six full professional seasons. Still, every summer, Bridges says he tries to fine-tune his jump shot. For what?

“I just want it to be as comfortable as possible,” Bridges said.

In college, Bridges had a polished, effortless shot that helped him shoot 40 percent over three seasons at Villanova and become a first-round draft pick. Upon entering the NBA, in an effort to become even more comfortable with his shooting at the next level, Bridges developed a problem changing his mechanics. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to remove it from his shooting movement. And as his career progressed, he got rid of that hang-up.

Until now.

Bridges said he further refined his shot this summer before his first season with the New York Knicksbut has not identified any specific items it is trying to fix. His goal, ostensibly, was to make the entire shooting motion as smooth as possible, as is always the case with his offseason work. However, since arriving in New York, his shooting has seemed anything but smooth. Bridges struggled shooting the deep ball during the preseason and New York’s opening night loss to the Boston Celticsmaking just four of his 26 3s during that span. His form seems to have more zigzag movements as his shot is released. The entire movement, especially on his stationary 3s or catch-and-shoots, doesn’t synchronize his body.

This is not unfamiliar territory for Bridges. He has acknowledged issues with his shooting mechanics in the past. But there’s no doubt that Hitch is back in some shooting situations.

“When I got out of college, I kind of changed my system a little bit,” he said. “My second year in the league I had a problem, so I tried to rebuild it properly.”

Here’s Bridges’ shooting motion at Villanova:

It’s a fluid movement. Get on and off without delay.

Then upon entering the league it changed as follows:

Everything is going well until Bridges lifts the ball just under his chin. At this point, he pushes the ball very slightly in front of him before picking it up.

What’s strange is that since the second season of Bridges, the hitch seemed to be hidden in a closet. Bridges never had a textbook photo like, say, Klay Thompsonbut very few do and no one has ever questioned its fluidity. Bridges’ long limbs may make his form look funky to some, but the talented forward tended to have consistent movement every time. And, for the record, there are players who shoot well with a hitch.

The cause for concern is less the presence of a snag than the recent inconsistencies in how its shape appears from shot to shot. Since his arrival in New York, he has constantly sought the same shooting movement.

As you can see here, Bridges has the ball well above his head before his feet leave the ground. Jump shooters learn to have a fluid movement, with the peak of the jump being synchronized with the release of the ball. Bridges brings the ball to a climax before it even leaves the ground.

And watching the video below, you can see the zag that accompanies his movement as he lifts the ball even higher before jumping and releasing it. In theory, the idea is to get the ball out faster, but that comes with its own hiccups. The ball starts to Bridges’ left and then comes back to that right, as opposed to a straight up and down motion to the right side of his head.

Last season, with the Brooklyn filletsBridges’ hitch did not exist. His shooting movement was smooth. His release of the ball is perfectly synchronized with the height of his feet leaving the ground. Everything is in unison in the screenshot below.

Here’s a video of his shooting last season to get an overview and compare the two shooting moves, with the one below being a much more repeatable move:

What’s interesting is that lately Bridges’ natural shooting motion when he catches the ball in motion and immediately stands up to shoot seems much more “normal.” Its shape appears clearer when pressed. Look at this as an example:

Things are more aligned here and Bridges gains height on the shot through his lower body and release point.

So far this season, Bridges’ problem only presents itself when he is more stationary and has more time to think about the shot. There are issues he needs to resolve, no doubt. But it seems that this is nothing new for him.

Ultimately, I’m not worried about the Bridges shooting. His story provides too much positive context. It’s hard to imagine a career 37.5% NBA 3-point shooter with good volume losing that skill overnight. Bridges had a different aura about him in the second half of the match. Celtics game when he saw shots go through the bucket.

It may take some time for him to adjust to everything he’s trying to accomplish with this latest adjustment, as well as his team’s new situation. But I am convinced that he will succeed. Good shooters always understand this, and everyone I’ve talked to has raved about the work Bridges has done.

According to Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who has decades of experience as a basketball coach, it’s not uncommon for good shooters to change their moves. Some players may want to try ways to shoot faster, while others may want to increase their launch point. Thibodeau said he saw Bridges all summer, working on his shot and the changes that showed up.

“Most players are going to work on something, whether it’s the arc, the release, adding a different plane…and that’s what I think makes it good,” Thibodeau said. “It never comes back the same. I think you look at his work. I trust him because I see how hard he works every day. As long as he takes the right shots and shoots them well, he’s going to make some, he’s going to miss some. »

(Top photo by Mikal Bridges: Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)