Tom Thibodeau has the receipts for anyone doubting Mikal Bridges after great game from new Knicks star

As the NBA regular season approached, there were significant concerns about star New York Knicks acquisition Mikal Bridges when it came to his shooting. While Bridges was a solid outside shooter with the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets, he changed his shooting motion over the offseason, a change that seemed even more alarming when he went just 2-of-19 from deep in the preseason.

The worries grew even louder in the Knicks' season opener against the Boston Celtics, as Bridges made just one of his first four 3s. He managed to find his shot a bit as the second half wore on, but it was too little, too late as the Knicks took a 132-109 loss at the hands of the defending champions. Was this just who Bridges was as a shooter now? And was that player good enough to make it worth the draft haul New York shipped out to bring him to MSG?

It turns out it might be premature to form opinions after a single game that counts. Bridges looked like his old self in his home debut with the Knicks, and his coach had a few choice words for the naysayers after the game.

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Tom Thibodeau shows faith in Mikal Bridges after early shooting struggles

Bridges found his rhythm in the Knicks' 123-98 victory against the Indiana Pacers, scoring 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 2-of-3 from downtown. Coach Tom Thibodeau was asked about his wing's performance after the game and what it meant moving forward, which he took as an excuse to come to the defense of his team's marquee offseason addition.

"Where we are today with social media, everyone has an opinion on everything," Thibodeau told reporters. "And yet the guy who's doing the work every day … This guy's shot almost 38 percent (from 3) for his career. Me, I'd bet on that."

This is what you want to see from a head coach, especially in as frenzied a market as New York City. The Knicks need Bridges to get where they want to go this year: The team took a big swing by bringing Bridges in, giving up several first round picks in the process, and he's expected to play a massive role throughout the season for a team that has legitimate championship expectations. It's Thibodeau's job to show that he has a lot of faith in him even during a cold streak.

And Thibodeau has a point about snap judgments: Throughout his career, Bridges has proven to be an efficient sharpshooter, shooting 48.1% from the field and 37.5 from three in the NBA. This always felt like a story that would be forgotten about as soon as he knocked down a few shots, and sure enough, he didn't forget how to get buckets over the course of one offseason. If this is the Bridges the Knicks are getting every night, this season looks to be back on track.