Involved in the transfer of Kevin Durant to Phoenix, Mikal Bridges shows in his new Brooklyn jersey that he is capable of assuming more offensive responsibilities. The former Sun notably released the big game yesterday on the floor of Boston to guide an unlikely comeback. Very promising for the future!
Mikal Bridges said it himself after his transfer from Phoenix to Brooklyn: “I too would have traded against Kevin Durant”.
A rather objective analysis knowing that KD is one of the best scorers and players in history. But this does not mean that Mikal devalues himself, quite the contrary. For him, being in a trade with a player of Durant’s caliber shows how much the Nets believe in his individual potential, and he wasted no time expressing it in his new colors.
Mikal Bridges with the Nets (8 games):
25,3 points
5.6 rebounds
3,3 passes
1,3 interception53% shooting
50% at three points
92% on free throws34 minutes of play on average
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) March 4, 2023
Renowned above all for his great defensive abilities, Mikal Bridges shines today through his offensive impact, he who combines good scoring stats with magnificent shooting efficiency. Among Mikal’s standout performances since arriving in Brooklyn were his 45 points planted on Jimmy Butler’s Heat header in his third game with the Nets, and of course his festival last night in Boston where he led Brooklyn to victory after a 28-point comeback!
BROOKLYN ⚡️ BRIDGES
38 PTS & 10 REB per @mikal_bridges which drags i @BrooklynNets to the W on the Celtics comeback from -28!! pic.twitter.com/w4fSKvmePg
— NBA Italia (@NBAItalia) March 4, 2023
Going from second or third option in attack to offensive leader of a team is not the most obvious thing for an NBA player, as talented as he is. Because even if we can expect a statistical explosion linked to an excess of responsibilities, this explosion is often accompanied by less efficiency, with falling shooting percentages and rising turnovers. Rather logical knowing that theusage rate (the number of possessions used by a player in a game) is higher and the defenses are more focused on the player in question. Except that with Mikal Bridges, not only has his raw numbers increased (number of shot attempts and free throws, number of points), but his shooting efficiency too.
Source : ESPN
So of course, we are on a limited sample since we are talking about only eight games in total with Brooklyn. However, let’s not forget that Bridges had a real surge long before his transfer from the Suns, he who had been a hit between mid-January and mid-February when the star of Phoenix Devin Booker was in the infirmary. Over Bridges’ last 13 appearances with the Cactus, he averaged more than 23 points with 48.4% shooting success, including 37.7% from 3-pointers and 91.8% from the throw line- frank. All this with great regularity since he had reached the 20-point mark eleven times over the period, without ever falling below 16. Something tells us that this had not gone unnoticed by Sean Marks, the general manager of Brooklyn.
“I think I got traded at the right time because when everyone was out in Phoenix I had to take on another role on offense and be more aggressive. When I got traded, I was on a good pace and confident.”
– Mikal Bridges
Aggressive, moving with real intentions when he’s pumped up, and keeping the excellent off-the-ball game he developed at the Suns alongside Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges is looking more and more like an offensive leader. . So certainly, leader of a young team that hasn’t won much since the trade deadline (two wins in eight games), but a leader nonetheless.
You understand, the 3&D label it had on the front for a long time is clearly no longer relevant. Today we are rather in front of a real two-way player, who wants to take advantage of the many opportunities he will have in Brooklyn to establish himself among the best.
Seen as it is, an All-Star spot could soon be reserved for him…
