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.

Bridges had the final say by blocking Dennis Schroder’s attempted game-tying layup as time expired. He was mobbed by the Knicks (6-6) while his old team walked away. For Brunson, it was another defining moment in his Knicks tenure to save his team from a near collapse.

The offense has been spectacular, the defense has been anything but, and it has added up to a 6-6 record after Jalen Brunson hit a game-winner to defeat the Brooklyn Nets, 124-122 on Friday. New York didn't make it easy on itself.

Mikal Bridges, the former Net traded across the bridge for a boatload of picks, followed with a game-saving rejection on a layup attempt by Dennis Schroder and the Knicks wildly celebrated a victory that became way too close for comfort.

Mikal Bridges had arguably the best game of his Knicks tenure so far on Friday against the Nets, capped by his game-saving block.

Karl-Anthony Towns' poor defense has been heavily scrutinized, but Mikal Bridges has been just as big of a problem on that end of the floor.