Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges is now tasked with being the No. 1 scoring option for the first time in his young NBA career.
Bridges, 26, was one of the central pieces that headed to Brooklyn from the Phoenix Suns in last week’s Kevin Durant blockbuster trade.
He had struggled in this role through two games, averaging a mere 15.0 points on 39% shooting from the field.
You would not know that by watching Bridges play against the Miami Heat Wednesday evening. The former Villanova star was absolutely on one as Brooklyn took down the Heat at home by the score of 116-105.
The forward dropped a career-high 45 points on 17-of-24 shooting. That included 4-of-6 from distance. Bridges also added eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks while finishing plus-17 in 36 minutes of action.
He was tremendous off the dribble in addition to hitting the perimeter shot.
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An All-NBA Defensive Team performer a season ago, Mikal Bridges is a star in the making. His new-look Nets team has also played pretty darn well since trading both Durant and Kyrie Irving last week. Wednesday’s win saw it all come together for the team.
In addition to Bridges performance, teammate Cameron Johnson dropped 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting. Stud wing Cam Thomas had 19 points of his own in just 21 minutes of action.
These are going to be the three big building blocks for Brooklyn as the team looks to earn a playoff spot this season. Longer term, Mikal Bridges has everything you look for in a young superstar. He showed that at home in the Big Apple Wednesday evening.