After dropping a heavyweight bought against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, the New York Knicks will look to course correct on the road against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.

Four players could use a bounce-back game as the team looks to get back on the winning horse at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Let’s start with the obvious.

Mikal Bridges

No player across the entire NBA needs a good showing more than Mikal Bridges. To say he’s struggling is generous.

Following the Knicks’ loss to the Cavaliers, he’s now ninth on the team in total fourth-quarter minutes this season.

Head coach Mike Brown has opted for any one of Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, or Landry Shamet. And nothing changes unless something changes.

Bridges has got to get going sooner or later. He’s averaging 5.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game on 33% shooting from the floor and 26% from three.

After being benched for another fourth-quarter against Cleveland, Bridges finished with just two points, two assists, and two turnovers on Wednesday.

The bar for improvement is the floor.

Josh Hart

We won’t pick on Josh Hart too much here. Wednesday night’s game against the Cavaliers was his return from a three-game, injury-related absence.

Hart finished the night with six points, four rebounds, and three assists. He made just three of his eight shots, and none of his three attempts from deep landed.

To say he needs a bounce back game against the Pacers is just to say he needs to continue shaking the rust off. There are few players–on this team or any–I’m more confident in snapping back quick than Hart.

Now onto his podcast partner…

Jalen Brunson

The season start hasn’t been strictly smooth sailing for Jalen Brunson. At times, you wonder how much his offseason wrist surgery might still be bothering him.

Wednesday night wasn’t that. Brunson played within himself against Cleveland, bottlenecking the Knicks’ offense. He finished with 27 points, five assists, and three rebounds; but New York was outscored 85-65 in his 35 minutes.

Related: the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers, 42-30, with him on the bench.

Brunson finished with zero free throw attempts, something that Mike Brown called “pretty alarming” when speaking with reporters postgame. Still, you can’t let how the game is being called take you out of what’s happening in between the whistle.

Friday night gives Brunson an opportunity to recalibrate, and hopefully, someone else a chance to actually see the floor.

Jordan Clarkson

For all that’s been made of Clarkson’s heroism this season, he somehow found himself riding the pine against Cleveland.

Brown owned up to some mistakes he made in the loss, and I believe not playing the team’s spark plug was one of them. He’s seventh on the team in plus-minus over New York’s last five games without having played against the Cavaliers.

No player on the Knicks has a bigger net rating swing (+36.2) than the 13-year veteran. Everything he does well is a lot of what was missing against Cleveland.

Clarkson had moments last year, but now he’s having a strong season. Look for Brown to turn back to him on Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm EST.