SI reporter: Mikal Bridges Knicks trade gives NY best defense for Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix is a big fan of the Knicks' trade for Mikal Bridges -- which saw them give up Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick, an unprotected pick swap and a second-rounder to the Brooklyn Nets for the wing -- because of how NY now stacks up against the Boston Celtics' star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

"An OG Anunoby (assuming he re-signs)/Mikal Bridges/Josh Hart trio is as good as it gets on the wings defensively," Mannix prefaced before saying, "The road to the title goes through Boston and the Knicks just added another perimeter defender to throw at Tatum and Brown."

Anunoby could receive whatever he wants from the Knicks in free agency knowing they don't have the means to sign someone to replace him or Bridges could've been acquired to hedge against OG's imminent departure.

Bridges and Josh Hart are, admittedly, a great wing duo to stick on the Jays. But is that really enough to topple the Celtics after what he just saw during the postseason?

East still runs through Boston Celtics but Knicks building a viable contender

Had the Knicks been healthy, the Celtics could've had a competitive Eastern Conference Finals series; at least in theory. Boston may have simply been head and shoulders above everyone else in the 2024 playoff field regardless of any other franchise's health. Banner 18 may have been an inevitability no matter what.

But the road to Banner 19 just got tougher. New York's chemistry is perhaps the greatest threat to a Celtics dynasty, and Bridges ratchets that to up a new level.

The Nova Knicks are a live threat to the Cs, but the Larry O'Brien Trophy will still be decided by whether or not Boston is at their best come April, May, and June 2025.