r/nba • u/hydraO1 Nets • Apr 01 '23
Mikal Bridges against the Hawks tonight: 42 pts on 16/24 shooting, 5 3PM
Bridges with another masterclass leading the Nets to the win. He played elite defense as well and was +30. Is there any possibility in which he wins MIP?
197
u/RealLanceStorm Nets Apr 01 '23
My fav moment of the season was Mikal not being able to hold back smiling while getting MVP chants at free throw line. I can't stress how much he's saved this season and become the face of the franchise already.
Nets still on pace to have their best attendance season in recent memory and that's continued after the trades (with lower ticket prices thankfully). Dude is all around Brooklyn and stepping in that role as the face of the franchise so easily.
48
u/Novel_Board_6813 Apr 01 '23
People are kinda obsessed with rings. It’s the goal, after all.
But, game by game, especially in the regular season, it seems more fun to watch/cheer for Bridges and co. than for the KD/Kyrie combination. They’re just happier
Bridges was great on the Suns too. Upbeat, good on offense, good on defense. People kinda hate the Suns due to Book’s and CP3’s antics while the same team had some of the (apparently) nicest guys in the league (Bridges, Byombo)
11
u/Certain_Strawberry77 Apr 01 '23
The benefit of low expectations after the trade makes storylines like this more fun to watch game-to-game
468
u/LeBrown_James666 Kevin Durant Apr 01 '23
MIKAL BRIDGES
148
40
u/WallStreetDoesntBet Apr 01 '23
I know the Suns had to pull the trigger to get KD, but they might have missed out on the true Talent of the Villanova alumni!
40
u/fuckswithboats Suns Apr 01 '23
If you are a fan of Arizona sports, you knew this trade was dreadful.
Mikal is a nice guy and was willing to be 4th fiddle but he’s got a dawg in him and you can’t coach that.
33
u/WallStreetDoesntBet Apr 01 '23
😏 With all due respect, the Suns have 0 rings.
Can’t blame the franchise for making a move to win; Bridges is an excellent young player!
But that’s Kevin Durant…
0
u/fuckswithboats Suns Apr 01 '23
KD in 2015 - sure. 2023 - no thanks.
We honestly fucked up drafting Jalen Smith - swap him with Halliburton and CP37 isn’t required to play like his old self and the team would’ve been a home built one…I just prefer that route
-2
u/SlimReaper35_ Thunder Apr 01 '23
Man just stop
1
u/fuckswithboats Suns Apr 02 '23
Sorry, Keben, it’s how I feel.
Charles is right - you are sensitive
-5
u/lactardenthusiast Apr 01 '23
sir or madame do you mean to imply that Kevin Durant has a dawg in him?
1
483
u/Thefinalwerd Nets Apr 01 '23
Did KD even leave?
308
u/MostlyLostTraveler [NJN] Kerry Kittles Apr 01 '23
Nah he got shorter and younger.
191
90
u/willtantan Apr 01 '23
And become an ironman, imagine we have an ironman KD, could have won 2 rings already.
28
u/tunamelts2 New Jersey Nets Apr 01 '23
Mikal still has time to grow a few inches
9
u/NudeEnjoyer Nets Apr 01 '23
let's hope his shoe size doesn't grow a whole lot. bad experience with big shoes :(
2
u/elsord0 Suns Apr 01 '23
Mikal is far more likeable as well. I can't stand KD and now don't like most of our players. Still a Suns fan but not really a fan of this team. Wish we had kept Mikal.
13
u/49e-rm Nets Apr 01 '23
You dont like our fanbase or our best player? Yeah, i dont think you're a Suns fan dude
36
u/elsord0 Suns Apr 01 '23
Been a Suns fan since 1992 my man. I’m allowed to not like the personalities of players. I haven’t liked KD ever. Not when he was with OKC, not with GS, not with the Nets and not going to start just because he’s on the Suns. Same with CP3. Have never liked the dude. Don’t like his cheap tactics and don’t really respect how he plays the game.
Booker I like a little more but still can’t stand his constant complaining and tough guy attitude on the court. And anyone that dates a Kardashian loses some respect from me.
Conversely, I liked almost every player from the SSOL Suns. Loved Nash, loved Marion, loved Amare, loved Raja, loved Boris, loved Grant Hill. Really loved that team and it hurts they never made it to the finals.
I’ll be happy to see Phoenix win a title (the city deserves it) if they do this year but I sure wish it was the SSOL team and not this one.
5
0
-2
u/Coded_Lyoko Clippers Apr 01 '23
based as fuck
-5
4
u/NudeEnjoyer Nets Apr 01 '23
KD is a solid dude, Idk what you don't like about him at this point
-1
u/elsord0 Suns Apr 01 '23
He’s the most sensitive player in the league. Don’t know of anyone with as many burner accounts as KD. And dude had to join a 73-9 team to win a championship. He has absolutely no respect from me.
0
u/NudeEnjoyer Nets Apr 01 '23
so, all stuff from years ago lol got it
4
u/elsord0 Suns Apr 01 '23
Haven’t seen much that he’s done any serious changing. Still gets hyper sensitive every time Barkley talks about him. If the dude really didn’t respect what Barkley says, he’d stop responding to him.
0
u/NudeEnjoyer Nets Apr 01 '23
responding to someone talking about his basketball life doesn't make him especially sensitive. most players do that lol it's the norm for the league
0
u/elsord0 Suns Apr 01 '23
Alright man, no point in going back and forth with you on this, we have very different perspectives. Have a good weekend.
1
u/NudeEnjoyer Nets Apr 01 '23
just encouraging you to look at your own reasoning, but it looks like you don't want to. have a good one
295
u/LeBrown_James666 Kevin Durant Apr 01 '23
Bro is literally putting up kd shooting numbers 💀. W trade for the nets
84
u/Padulsky21 [BKN] Mikal Bridges Apr 01 '23
Now it’s time to watch KD ball against the backup Nuggets 😎😎
6
-21
u/silkkthechakakhan [CLE] LeBron James Apr 01 '23
Honestly he’s great, but KD would’ve gotten 42 on like 16 shots. This is not a “well actually” thing, just pointing out KD’s absurd efficiency
29
u/inefekt Australia Apr 01 '23
KD has scored 42 or better three times this season, he did it in 22 shots (43pts), 22 shots (44pts) and 24 shots (45pts) respectively...
-22
u/silkkthechakakhan [CLE] LeBron James Apr 01 '23
If you want to be literal I was thinking more along the lines of KD in his career and not just this season.
34
u/inefekt Australia Apr 01 '23
but he's only ever scored 40 on 16 shots once in his career and that was 40 flat, not 42...but hey, if you weren't being literal in the first place then I'll shut up
20
12
83
195
u/DareToDaredevil Apr 01 '23
the Nets really traded KD for Spence, DFS and KD
112
36
5
157
Apr 01 '23
The cool thing about Bridges is if we go star hunting with like Trae or Dame JUST AS EXAMPLES, ball dominant outside scorers. Mikal fits like perfectly, most of his baskets are created from movement, and between 3-5 dribbles he is so similar to KD it's insane.
72
u/RealLanceStorm Nets Apr 01 '23
I didn't expect to feel this good about the future this fast. I'm more than content with Bridges/Claxton/Johnson as the front court of the future. The hope is to find a dynamic guard that can take over games. Not sure who or how or when but Bridges being this guy already helps short AND long term.
27
u/Coded_Lyoko Clippers Apr 01 '23
I pray Cam Thomas figures it out for you guys, that mini-run he had earlier in the season was ELECTRIC.
4
u/Odd_Total_5549 Nets Apr 01 '23
I would love that too, but I don’t see it. He has the talent, don’t get me wrong, but I think there’s some kinda division between him and the coaching staff/FO. Just last night they put him in for garbage time, and he looked like he was insulted that they would even do that. He got the ball a few times and immediately passed and went to just stand still in the corner. He just seems like he’s done with the team, I kind of get it from his perspective, but I don’t think he’s doing himself any favors.
4
u/Coded_Lyoko Clippers Apr 01 '23
For sure, idk if it’s a maturity issue, as seen by how he responded when asked about Nash as a coach, or something deeper, I remember checking box scores after that run he had and very often he would either be a DNP or have like 7 or 8 minutes played.
1
u/addictivesign Apr 01 '23
Cam Thomas really could be the franchise star. He’s 21 and his scoring ability is so vast. If he improves this off-season and I think he will then the Nets will be a huge problem in the future
12
u/Cheeswheeel Knicks Apr 01 '23
Trea Young seems unhappy In Atlanta so I could see him go to Brooklyn bc A-y’all got a good team B-to fuck with the Knicks. Honestly I would love to see that and hope to meet in the playoffs.
1
u/GiantNets Nets Apr 01 '23
I am more pro Trae than most on this sub, and even I would say that it would be a bad move for the Nets. He’s got bad vibes and part of what makes the current team so appealing is the good vibes
5
17
u/lazymyke Suns Apr 01 '23
He works well like that but you don't want too much ball dominance from players like the ones mentioned. Mikal has been getting better and better when the ball is in his hands and the offense moves a ton. Gives him the open looks/cuts and then he can make space with his length in the midrange that he's added this year. Take care of our boy.
10
u/EliManningham Nets Apr 01 '23
It's crazy because it feels like there's stretches where he gets iced out of the offense, and he still puts up crazy numbers. In true Kd fashion, I feel like he could be putting up even more numbers if he wanted to.
0
1
168
u/SixthFan Nets Apr 01 '23
He has the same ability as KD to put up the most effortless 40 pieces i’ve ever seen. The sample size is big enough now to know this isn’t some fluke. He’s H1M.
32
u/ajteitel Suns Apr 01 '23
MIKAL!
18
8
u/WallStreetDoesntBet Apr 01 '23
That’s Lauri Markkanen’s award… but Bridges is playing phenomenal - especially after the trade to the Nets.
27
24
u/Padulsky21 [BKN] Mikal Bridges Apr 01 '23
Mikal Bridges
16
u/Cheeswheeel Knicks Apr 01 '23
Villanova boys running NY.
2
u/Jabroni_Guy Apr 02 '23
As a Villanova/Sixers fan I have extremely mixed feelings about it all. I’m thrilled to see out guys thrive in the league, now people understand how insanely stacked those Villanova teams were. The Sixers trading Mikal on draft day is why I may become the Joker
20
16
Apr 01 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
11
u/hydraO1 Nets Apr 01 '23
I agree it’s Lauri’s award to lose, although Mikal was averaging 23 ppg in the month leading up to the trade
18
u/corrine49 Suns Apr 01 '23
My heart is happy and sad at the same time.
3
u/francbot Suns Apr 01 '23
I honestly feel like I went through a break up when we traded Mikal - crushed to see him go but happy to see him succeeding 😭
16
u/genericusernamepls [UTA] Derrick Favors Apr 01 '23
This is like the Jazz getting Kessler from the Gobert trade
65
u/sunsbr Suns Apr 01 '23
Man if he played close to that in the playoffs for Phoenix we get 2 rings
134
u/tunamelts2 New Jersey Nets Apr 01 '23
This is the James Harden effect. Sometimes you need to become the #1 option to unlock another level of your game.
41
26
u/lazymyke Suns Apr 01 '23
Well he was the #1 for us for like a month and a half due to injuries and really started to figure it out, then became the for sure #1 with you guys.
-21
u/elsord0 Suns Apr 01 '23
Monty is a shit coach, what do you expect?
29
u/Morezingis Timberwolves Apr 01 '23
Yes the defending coach of the year that vets are dying to play for must be shitty.
-13
u/elsord0 Suns Apr 01 '23
Plenty of coaches have won COTY that aren’t very good and/or are overrated coaches. Mike Brown, Scott Brooks, Doc Rivers, Avery Johnson, Sam Mitchell, Dwane Casey come to mind.
Monty will be another that fits with that crowd. His rotations are dog shit, he uses his timeouts poorly and gets thoroughly out coached in the playoffs. Vets wanna play for him because he’s not a hard ass. That doesn’t mean he’s a good coach.
-2
u/Fa1lenSpace San Diego Rockets Apr 01 '23
Vets always love playing with “players coaches” . Monty is so over rated as a coach
13
14
u/Turbulent-Sky-5568 Apr 01 '23
Him and jalen were both amazing at Nova but did anybody expect them to be this good in the NBA?
1
u/Jabroni_Guy Apr 02 '23
I always believed in them as someone who’s been a Nova/Sixers fan my whole life (grew up near there). Still, I head them pegged a really solid rotation guys, perennial 6MOY type players. Didn’t think they’d be dropping 40 against each other lol. The Sixers trading Mikal on draft day is still devastating to think about given his story.
38
26
22
8
u/TheVision_13 Suns Apr 01 '23
I’m so proud of him fr just makes me smile every big game he keeps having
4
u/SuperDoubleDecker Apr 01 '23
He's a baller. I know I'll get shat on, but I'd take that trade every day. Bridges makes the team better, not just his own points tally. At their mutual ages, KD is the past, and Bridges is the future.
3
3
12
u/JonA3531 Spurs Apr 01 '23
It would be really funny if Suns flame out in the playoffs this year then KD and CP3 become washed next year.
44
u/tunamelts2 New Jersey Nets Apr 01 '23
KD definitely won’t be washed…CP3’s days are seriously numbered, though.
24
u/gonets34 Nets Apr 01 '23
KD is nowhere near washed when he's playing but his injury frequency is definitely going up
10
u/SeirezZ Nets Apr 01 '23
None of KD's injuries for the past two years have been because of age, he's just at the wrong place at the wrong time lmao
7
u/gonets34 Nets Apr 01 '23
You're right, but he takes a long time to recover each time due to his age. He is going to be 35 at the start of next season.
1
10
u/Kijana_X Apr 01 '23
Cp3 already kind of washed relative to normal
12
u/JonA3531 Spurs Apr 01 '23
He seems to have found a second wind in his reduced role tho
11
1
u/lazymyke Suns Apr 01 '23
Not really. The big decision this offseason will be if we bring him back for 30 mil. He's not even close to worth it and we knew that when it was offered, but then he has a really good game like Wednesday and looks like CP3 from 2021.
2
u/IHave580 Apr 01 '23
Sad to say and see but it's kind of true. I think he's got a couple more years on him to be a serviceable player.
2
u/Honouredpharmer Apr 01 '23
Soon enough, he will be the only man eligible for MVP. Unanimous candidate.
2
u/ElTuco84 Knicks Apr 01 '23
Mikal is in the wrong NY team, how amazing would be to see him playing with Hart and Brunson.
3
u/Brooklyn-Mikal San Francisco Warriors Apr 01 '23
They won 2 chips together at nova right? That should answer that question lol
1
u/Jabroni_Guy Apr 02 '23
Hart one won one but still would be amazing to see them all together again. No wonder Nova won two championships with these guys (plus other NBA guys like Divencenzo and Arcidiacano). As a lifelong Villanova fan I fear we’re going to look back at the Jay Wright era as the “golden era” and revert to how things were in the 90’s…
2
u/wholsmay Apr 02 '23
You’re asking about MIP. If he started the season in nets he would be MIP, all star, (109%) and probably all nba team and would be in MVP discussions, obviously not being close to win it since record, but he could be in some weeks in the top10 race…but the dude is a ducking stud, a trully star in the making. Great scorer and efficiency while being the best defender in the league? He is putting kawhi numbers with kawhi defense .
I never expected him to be that good at scoring, it’s way better than “just” the best 2way player of the league.
On top of that, he is the iron man Tony Stark dreamed to be, his best skill is availability.
Mikal the beast is unleashed
3
2
u/inefekt Australia Apr 01 '23
Bridges since the trade - 605 points at 27.5ppg on 64.5% TS
Cam Johnson since the trade - 349 points at 16.6ppg on 59.6% TS
Durant since the trade - 126 points at 25.2ppg on 71.8% TS
TJ Warren since the trade - 61 points at 4.4ppg on 47.0% TS
1
1
1
1
-13
u/FERFreak731 Jazz Apr 01 '23
Please don't make me hate Mikal, just like Sixers fans made me hate Embiid with the Embiid vs Gobert stuff
Mikal has been playing good since the all star break, but Lauri has improved for the full season, and Lauri is average 30 points and 9 rebounds since all star break
I'm a Mikal fan, but Lauri is most improved player
43
12
u/LinuxUbuntuOS Nets Apr 01 '23
As much as I'd love to see Mikal win the award, Lauri has been insane all season
9
u/Padulsky21 [BKN] Mikal Bridges Apr 01 '23
Man, a Nets fan didn’t even make this post lol no Nets fan in the comments have even brought up the idea of him being MIP. Y’all good don’t worry
6
5
2
u/9yearoldsoliderN99 Trail Blazers Apr 01 '23
If someone saying "is there a possibility that Mikal wins MIP?" makes you hate Mikal then thats your fault, not any Nets fans.
-2
u/Mysterious-Clock-744 Apr 01 '23
Geeze this sub talked all this shit about the suns and it’s clear none of y’all saw him play there.
This is Mikal Bridges being Mikal Bridges. He was already good and is playing the same….he just gets to take more shots now.
0
u/Batman_in_hiding Nets Apr 01 '23
Ok sure buddy. Suns were holding him back
3
u/Mysterious-Clock-744 Apr 01 '23
You can always tell who watches games and who watches highlights on this sub. Your comment is clear. You literally don’t know what you’re talking about.
-4
-39
u/eat_pray_thug [SEA] Robert Swift Apr 01 '23
if the nets had a brain they would shut him down before he gets exposed in the playoffs and sell high in the offseason
people really talking like hes the next kawhi when hes already like 30
23
14
12
3
5
1
1
u/IHave580 Apr 01 '23
It's crazy how much your role (based on a bunch of factors) dictates who you are in the league. He was seen as the 4th star, defensive guy in PHX and now as the first option, he's putting up these kind of numbers. The league really is about where you get drafted and the rolls you are given.
I wonder who else is this kind of player but has been relegated to a smaller role on their team (besides MVP Reaves of course).
2
u/EnoughLawfulness3163 Suns Apr 01 '23
He was basically the 2nd option the last couple weeks in PHX. But in hindsight he should've been treated like a 1b player, and not be afraid to be "the guy" when we needed a bucket. He's such a nice guy I don't think he was willing to speak up and say "guys I'm fucking good now give me the ball" but who knows lol. Just glad he's showing the world who he is.
1
1
1
u/MileHighTilliDie Suns Apr 01 '23
It has been so enjoyable seeing him flourish in Brooklyn, keep doing your thing Mikal
1
u/extraducksauce Celtics Apr 02 '23
how is brooklyns coach? i mean i feel like its not coincidence that mikal is getting 40 piece after 40 piece and so did cam thomas earlier in the season. just is interesting to me
595
u/shadow_spinner0 Nets Apr 01 '23
He's been unstoppable tonight and is averaging 27.5 with the Nets in 22 games. Nets might have unlocked a future star.