With 16.2 points on average, Mikal Bridges is currently having the best season of his career on the offensive side. But it is in defense that he is most effective and valuable for Phoenix.
Does this greater attacking presence have a negative influence on his performance on the other side of the pitch?
“I have to do better. I don’t think I’m at the level I want.” responds the Suns winger for NBA website. “We are still early in the season, but I have to eliminate the absences. I got a lot of them on backdoor. I’m asked to score more, but I have to stay focused in defence. I have to be more aggressive and physical. »
Bridges had set the bar very high since last season, he finished second in the votes for the best defender trophy, behind Marcus Smart. Obviously, he doesn’t seem determined to get his revenge this year.
“Individual awards don’t matter that much. I know many players who have won such awards, but they want to win matches more. It is the most important. Afterwards, it was great to be in the race last season. I couldn’t dream of better. Marcus Smart won it and it’s deserved. For me, it was already a chance that my name was cited. »
Against which opponents does he find it most difficult to do his job?
“Stars are so creative and hard to stop. You have to make life difficult for them, be aggressive without making mistakes. They’re expert at getting the whistles, so it’s not easy. Every year, Luka Doncic is hard to play, he progresses. Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard when healthy. They are all very hard to play, they have a lot of qualities. I have given a few names but there are so many more. »
| Mikal Bridges | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2018-19 | PHX | 82 | 30 | 43.0 | 33.5 | 80.5 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 8.3 |
| 2019-20 | PHX | 73 | 28 | 51.0 | 36.1 | 84.4 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 9.1 |
| 2020-21 | PHX | 72 | 33 | 54.3 | 42.5 | 84.0 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 13.5 |
| 2021-22 | PHX | 82 | 35 | 53.4 | 36.9 | 83.4 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 14.2 |
| 2022-23 | PHX | 30 | 37 | 47.3 | 40.4 | 90.0 | 1.2 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 16.2 |
| Total | 339 | 32 | 50.4 | 37.7 | 83.9 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 11.7 | |
