Tom Thibodeau denies having conversation with Mikal Bridges over starters’ minutes in Knicks twist

PORTLAND — After Mikal Bridges claimed he asked Tom Thibodeau to reduce his minutes, the coach denied such a conversation took place as controversy emerged Wednesday in Knicks world over playing time. 

Bridges, the NBA’s iron man and minutes leader, said after the morning shootaround that he talked with Thibodeau about giving the bench a deserving opportunity, a proposal that would mean a lesser load on Bridges. 

“Sometimes it’s not fun on the body,” the guard said before hitting the OT winner at the buzzer in a 114-113 win over Portland. “But you want that as a coach, and also talked to him a little bit knowing that we’ve got a good enough team where our bench guys can come in and we don’t need to play 48 [minutes], 47. 

“We’ve got a lot of good guys on this team that can take away minutes. Which helps the defense, helps the offense, helps tired bodies being out there and giving up all these points. It helps just keeping fresh bodies out there.” 

Asked how Thibodeau responded to their talk, Bridges said, “I think he’s not arguing about it. Sometimes I think he just gets in his ways and he gets locked in. He just wants to keep the guy out there. Sometimes you’ve got to tell him, like Landry [Shamet], for example, or somebody [else], keep him out there, they’re playing well.” 

Hours later, however, Thibodeau countered, “We never had a conversation about it.”