The 2023/2024 season will mark Mikal Bridges’ first full season as the Brooklyn Nets leading man. While the Villanova product has certainly shown flashes of excellence over his four years in the NBA, there are still three skills that could help propel him towards a new level during his second year as a Net.
Playmaking
Bridges has averaged 3.3 assists over his NBA career. Over 27 regular season contests with the Nets he collected 26.1 points and 2.7 dimes per game. The statistics illustrate that Brooklyn made a concerted effort to get Bridges the ball and allow him to shoot and drive to the hoop at will.
Outside of Cam Johnson, Bridges did not have a working relationship with his Brooklyn teammates. Assuming the Nets’ offensive approach has been given enough time to mature, Bridges will have an opportunity to become a more skillful playmaker and rack up more assists.
3-Point Shooting
Bridges is not a bad three-point shooter, but in today’s NBA, one can never be skilled enough behind the arc. Last year, the league-wide team average three-point shooting percentage sat at 36.1%. Bridges shot at a 38.2% clip on the season, and averaged 5.3 attempts per contest.
The 2023/2024 Brooklyn Nets will not have many traditional sharpshooters out the gate. Spencer Dinwiddie, Cameron Johnson, and Dorian Finney-Smith can all knock a three-point shot occasionally, but they are not dominant from range.
Even if Bridges percentage from downtown drops this season, it may be a gamble worth taking. If he’s able to get more comfortable in this regard, it will make opposing defenders move more quickly to get a hand up. In turn, Bridges could be able to draw more fouls, and potentially move towards his mid-range sweet spot.
Bully Ball
Bridges is one of Brooklyn’s better perimeter defenders. His athleticism and wingspan make him a threat to tip errant passes and collect a number of steals. On the offensive end, the 27-year-old forward could stand to be more overly physical in the paint.
It is not yet fully known if his build can or should support this brand of physicality long-term, but it’s undeniable that short bursts of bully ball energy could benefit his attack.
He’s a career 85.7% shooter from the charity stripe, and this number could improve if he’s able to draw more contact, and lean into a more punishing style of offense when called for.
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Author: Colin Loughran
September 27, 2023 | 12:00 pm
