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.