Mikal Bridges faced the Nets this weekend for the first time since the blockbuster trade that sent him to the Knicks.

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.

During his time playing for the Nets, Bridges wore only jersey No. 1, and put up 21.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.

It may have been a slow start to the season for Mikal Bridges, but he's still going to be key to the Knicks' title aspirations.

The blockbuster trade that sent Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn to Broadway for five first-round draft picks, a second-rounder and a first-round pick swap felt like a seismic move that said a lot about the directions the two franchises were headed. The Knicks were going for it. The Nets were rebuilding again.

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

Johnson credited Bridges being a big help in a challenging 2022-23 season. Between Johnson’s meniscus surgery that November and them being traded to Brooklyn in the Kevin Durant deal three months later, Bridges helped keep him positive, especially adjusting to a new city.

Friday’s matchup at Madison Square Garden marked the first time the Nets have faced their former star forward, Mikal Bridges, since last summer’s blockbuster deal.