Knicks Star Will Benefit from New NBA Rule

New York Knicks star Mikal Bridges will no longer be dinged for his flings.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania revealed that the NBA is making an adjustment to its rulebook for the 2025-26 season, one that will no longer penalize shooters for desperation heaves often flung at the end of periods.

According to Charania, such tries from extra-long distance (at least 36 feet from the basket and on play originating in the backcourt) will now be counted as a team attempt rather than affecting the shooter's own percentage.

Mar 26, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) takes a three point shot past LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

"Expect even more long-range shots from players this season, which was behind motivation of the change and the league testing it at Summer League in July," Charania said. "The Competition Committee has been in support of the adjustment in recent months, too."

"Many players have avoided taking the miracle 50-footer or deeper shot at the end of quarters to protect their personal shooting percentages, noted Tim Reynolds in his own report for the Associated Press. "The 'heave rule,' the league hopes, will fix that."

Bridges is one of several shooters that will no doubt appreciate the rule's introduction: when the rule was introduced for the summer sessions, stat-tracking X account @AutomaticNBA noted that Bridges had 14 "heave" attempts to rank second among all shooters last season.

That was third-most in the league last year, one behind Atlanta's Trae Young while Denver MVP Nikola Jokic tried by far the most at 26 (hitting three, second-most behind three-point king Stephen Curry of Golden State). Charania's report states that four percent of all such tries successfully went through.

Of that tally, Bridges sank only one desperation toss, one that ended the first quarter of a late March win over Portland at Madison Square Garden. Had the new rule been in effect, Bridges' three-point success rate would've moved up a full percentage point to 36.4 in his metropolitan maiden voyage.

According to @AutomaticNBA, Bridges would've been one of three players (min. 8 attempts) whose three-point percentage would've moved a full percentage point up alongside Jokic (who'd move up over three) and Naji Marshall of Dallas.

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