In his stint with the Brooklyn Nets this past season, Mikal Bridges was one of the most impressive players in the NBA. He averaged 26.1 points. 4.5 rebounds, and shot 89.4% for free throws. Unlike the previous season, he did not earn an All-Defensive spot. Still, his impact on both sides of the floor was invaluable.
Mikal Bridges Season Review: The Brooklyn Nets’ New Star
Brief History
Mikal Bridges was drafted 10th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2018 NBA draft. On the same night, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns where he remained for four years. Scouts saw Bridges as a model “three and D” wing player. His role was to play exceptional perimeter defense and shoot three-pointers with great consistency. He did exactly that in his time with the Suns. He saw his three-point shooting percentage rise to 42% by his third year, and he earned an All-Defensive first-team spot during the 2021-22 season. His role on offense with the Suns increased when key players got injured this past season. He steadily improved but was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal for Kevin Durant.
Strengths: Scoring, Defense, Durability
Bridges can score from all three levels on the court. Most notably, he took a leap in his mid-range scoring. After averaging 1.3 attempts at 37.7% accuracy the previous season, he increased to 3.2 attempts at an improved 45.3%. His consistency at mid-range shots is a tool he uses to score for his team and catches the defense off balance. In addition, he took more three-point shot attempts with Brooklyn nailing them at 37.6%. His range on offense greatly contributed to the Nets’ scoring.
Many associate Bridges with his tremendous defensive play. Although he did not earn an All-Defensive spot this past season, he was ranked 8th in defensive plus-minus among small forwards. This means he was the 8th best small forward to have on the court for his team’s defensive success. At 6’6″ with a 7’1″ wingspan, the ground he covers on defense is extremely useful to the Nets.
Bridges was one of ten players to play the entire 82-game season this past year. He technically played 83 games due to his trade to the Nets midseason. His durability and availability were a great asset to the Nets. Being prepared to play every game gives his team the best chance to win.
Improvements: Three-Point Shooting, Defense
It is impressive when a player shoots good accuracy on increased three-point attempts. Bridges’ accuracy stayed about the same. He went from 4.2 attempts at 38.7 % with the Suns to 6.7 attempts at 37.6% in the last half of the season with the Nets. If he can get closer to 40% accuracy, he will be an even greater threat on offense. Furthermore, Bridges continues to work on an arsenal of offensive moves to increase his scoring ability.
Bridges is clearly an All-NBA caliber defender. It would be great to see him earn his elite defensive spot back. There are many ways he can do this; one way is to average more steals and blocks. He only averaged 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks for the whole season. More importantly, his defensive plus-minus stat must continue to rise. It will be difficult for him to do so with his increased role on offense. However, he has the ability to go hard on offense and defense as he continues to work on his strength and conditioning.
Outlook: Continued Improvement
Mikal Bridges looks to build upon his impressive time with the Nets. He is expected to maintain his high-level play and continue to improve in every area he can. He will arguably be the Nets’ most important player next season. It would not be surprising if he plays well enough to make the All-Star team. It will be exciting to see his continued performance as one of the best two-way players in the NBA.
