How MIKAL BRIDGES Transformed Into BABY DURANT

Support by checking out these awesome NBA T-Shirts: heatcheck.info/
This is Mikal Bridges in a Suns jersey late in a tight game, standing in the corner away from the action waiting for the kick-out. And this is Bridges in his 3rd game as a Brooklyn Net, one on one against Jimmy Butler, he does the shake and bake on him and hits the and-one. He scored 45 in this game which is his career high, and since joining the Nets, Mikal had 11 games with more than 30 points, compared to just 2 in 4 and a half years with the Suns.
What Happened to Mikal Bridges, and how he’s transforming into a real star player for the Nets. Let’s break it down.
While in Phoenix, Mikal Bridges was known for his defense, often guarding the best opposing player, putting in the hard work and giving a 100% effort every night. In the clutch, he stays with Luka through the screens and puts a hand in his face which results in a bad miss. Here, he’s posted up against PG, gets bumped by the big man but somehow was able to block the shot from behind. On offense, he would get his points by out-running his defender in transition, like in this situation where he’s in line with Josh Hart but manages to run around him before getting the pass and finishes with the dunk. He’s always on time making the right cut to the rim in the half court offense. Booker gets double-teamed so he passes to Ayton down low, and before he even catches it, Mikal is already sprinting towards the basket, the pass and the lefty dunk. He’s a great finisher inside making 68.2% of his shots in the restricted area.
But he’s mostly known for his ability to get open 3 point shots out of the attention focused on CP3 and Devin Booker. Most of these are catch and shoot 3’s, however we saw flashes of him being able to create his own shot when needed, mainly in the absence of the all-stars or due to the shot clock expiring. Bridges averaged 17.2 PPG / 4.3 RPG / 3.6 APG in 56 games for the Suns this season before being traded to the Nets as a part of the package for KD. He was also considered as one of the more efficient guys in the league, shooting a decent 46.3% from the field, 38.7% from long range and 89.7% on free throws.
Ever since joining the Nets, he blossomed, and got better in almost every statistical category. In his very first appearance against Philly, we saw what Mikal is capable of with the ball in his hands.
Here, he gets the ball on the left wing, Claxton comes up for the screen and the handoff, Bridges gets it back and makes the running jumper over Joel Embiid. Later, they run the same play and again, Mikal gets to his comfortable mid-range spot and hits the shot over Joel.
In his career night against Miami, his offensive arsenal was on full display as we see him sizing up Strus for the pull-up jay.
In the 3rd, he gets the ball in the corner, freezes the defender with the shot fake, goes inside, pauses as another defender flies by before laying it in.
Next we got the off ball screen by Claxton for Bridges to curl around him either for the jump shot or for the penetration to the rim. He gets the ball with Butler on his back, turns on the jets and lays in the finger roll. And finally against Robinson, dances, blows by him, stops on a dime and swishes it.
Against the Magic a month later, although in a losing effort, Mikal dropped 44 points on 66.7% shooting from downtown.
And, just 5 days later in Brooklyn he burned the Hawks with yet another 40+ points masterpiece.
Look at his confidence, he stares down his opponent, dribbles past him, stops, turns and drains the fadeaway.
The main role in Brooklyn after Durant and Irving’s departures was open for grabs, and Mikal emerged as the leader.
Heis usage rate skyrocketed to 29% compared to the 19% of the time he had the ball in Phoenix. His production increased while keeping and improving his efficiency.
Having the ball in his hands a lot more, he’s fully embracing it and he is posting a phenomenal 27.1 PPG / 4.7 RPG / 2.7 APG on 47.5% FG / 37.6% 3PT/ 89.4% FT shooting splits. That’s impressive. Bridges is averaging more points than KD and Kyrie ever since the trades, are you kidding me!? Ok, Durant appeared in only 8 games, but c’mon, we gotta give this man his credit. I dedicated a whole video about his playing style on both ends of the floor about a year and a half ago in which I ask the question, does Mikal Bridges have another gear to unlock. And boy, his blistering hot performances in the Nets uniform for sure has answered my doubts. He’s getting more spotlight from the media as well, as he was announced the Eastern Player of the week and flew in the conversation for the Most Improved Player of the year. Given the keys to the franchise, Bridges kept the Nets above the play-in zone. With the 6th seed they’ve set themselves a date with the 76ers.

[@brendanbuchanan9750]

I love the story him and Lauri have created this season. Two likeable guys that were role players went to a place with tons of opportunity and are taking full advantage of it.

[@ZuberiGaming]

Never understood the label on Lauri, he was never a role player, only constant injuries held him back, his talent and skill was always on display if healthy.

[@Foremangrill]

Lauri just needed a mindset change. Never attacked the basket ferociously with the Bulls

[@Marcus-oj9xw]

Lauri was meant to be the main guy, but crappy team, injuries, and mindset/coaching held him back. He looks more explosive than ever this year

[@erichong4786]

@@Marcus-oj9xw mainly Boylen caused Lauri to regress

[@lucky889s9]

And both got traded for basicallt a bag of chips

[@ArtMagik]

At the beginning of the season, Monty Williams wanted him and Cam Johnson to take more responsibilities on the offensive side to make the offense not only run around CP3 and Booker. And he started to show glimpses of what he's doing right now at the Nets, when almost all the starters of the Suns were injured. At that time, I started to think that he could become the best lieutenant for Booker to win a ship. I'm genuinely happy for him that he blossoms at Brooklyn.

[@cesarpulido4896]

Mikal was helping the suns keep their head above water when all are starters where out

[@davidalvarezDR]

Ever since he was drafted i loved this guy... He is more like a 90s player and now a days that's tough to find... Can't wait to pick him up next year in fantasy

[@matiaselidd1359]

Is like James Harden when he left OKC to Houston

[@1D.JFanMma]

Without defense

[@loganmattoon5284]

@@1D.JFanMma i hope to god you're talking about harden's defense

[@mrmelonman2893]

@@1D.JFanMma hardens defense? Because mikal is known to be a amazing defender

[@1D.JFanMma]

@@loganmattoon5284 yh ofc

[@theplanesfly]

@@loganmattoon5284 come on now son you knew exactly what he meant

[@eduardojoseguadamuzmenjiva2352]

That 3 celebration is fire, smooth signature move

[@greenfortytwo6414]

I have been a Suns fan for many years but when Mikal and Cam went to Brooklyn I became a Nets fan too.

[@juansebastianraadmeza9405]

I assure you most suns fans did as well, they are very likeable

[@pg13pacernation30]

Not only he has become a start before our eyes but this man is durability is different as well. So happy for Mikal getting the full chance to show his full potential

[@TeamOrangeSoda]

as a suns fan, we all knew he was capable of this. it’s awesome for him to show out for the casual fan.🤙🏽🔥

[@hmohngcheelee7549]

Happy to see young fella succeed. He got his opportunity and during the Suns run earlier this year when D Book was out. Seeing him transfer that hot streak to the Nets is exciting. Can’t wait to see more of him and the Nets next year with more chemistry.

[@CWJ0725]

normally, any trade which involves trading KD away would automatically be a bad trade, but the Nets really hit a jackpot with this one

[@xavierb9061]

Horrible..went from title chance to 0%

[@itsvertux7768]

@@xavierb9061buddy, even thought the nets have almost no chance of winning the championship, the nets have one of the most scary futures with players that are growing and hitting their prime as well as a whole lot of 1st round draft picks which have high potential

[@xavierb9061]

@@itsvertux7768 you forget how nba works. They now have one of worst #1 options in a league where giannis durant lebron curry.always win title. Before season starts they jus playin for fun

[@yashverma483]

@@xavierb9061 you do realize kd came in free agency, so technically the nets never gave anything for him. The nets realize they wont win a chip anyways cuz they wont extend kyrie, so they get a hella solid role player in mikal and turn him into a star. They arent fighting for the title rn but are for later. Keep in mind they got hella picks too.

[@xavierb9061]

@@yashverma483 dumb decision have kd so have title chance. Now have nothing. Hardest part is getting #1. Last 10 titles won by like a 5 guys...they had 1

[@halevy2230]

As a Brooklyn fan I believe in this team more than the Kyrie and KD team not that season but in two or three seasons

[@RudieObias]

Because it's an actual team 😂

[@halevy2230]

@@RudieObias 🤣

[@DaTiddyKitty]

As a Suns fan I didn’t like the trade at first because he was a fan favorite and he never complained but looking at it now im happy he got traded he’s dominant in the east and i like seeing him doing well and i can assure that almost all of the suns fan are happy for him

[@mityaoreh]

as a big suns fan, im so happy to see that our boy is doing things, good luck mikal and thank you for your value

[@GoldMouff]

He was the 4th option and the #1 defensive player on Phoenix… im glad he sat back and let the game COME to him

[@ZAstrayZ]

Some players just needed a chance to shine. He is definitely one of them, and pretty sure there are plenty of others like him. Time to step out from the shadows of those superstars and be one yourself.

[@christianh7138]

I love players like him, always gives 100% on offence and defence while having a lot of fun on the court

[@emmanuelo9743]

“Baby Kevin Durant” idk but Baby Kawhi yea but good video.

[@wilford938]

True. I said this 3 years ago and people called me crazy.

[@emmanuelo9743]

@@wilford938 They ain’t calling you “crazy” now😂😂😂

[@iiieazyiii5738]

You're def a future all star in this league. maybe HOF if you don't get injured.

[@Low_Marine]

All Star? bruh he could make a case for an all nba down the line if the nets rebuild right.

[@Grandmaster_Vic]

Give him a good co-star and this team will go far Im telling you

[@yashverma483]

bill simmons

[@christopherbolwinjuan8115]

MB my favorite man on the floor..all star next season for sure

[@westbrick6393]

Ben Simmons is only thing that holds nets back. Without his contract, they could add another star nextvto Bridges and build a nice team

[@Y0LOSauerk]

Suns fans already knew he was getting better this year, when everybody got hurt he had to step up and was having insane nights. Him going to Brooklyn really just unlocked him. Miss the twins :c

[@loganmattoon5284]

Bridges facially looks like Kenny Smith

[@mikexfpv753]

Love Mikel pretty happy for him,nice guy and hard worker!!Guys that play defence in such high level they all deserve credits but Mikel is offensive power too now he has found the space to show it!!

[@Endless_Nights2]

Mikal Bridges was one of the few people I hoped that could Blossom, watching him back in Phoenix I knew he showed flashes of someone that could be big in the League. He was always held back into a more 3rd or 4th option with Booker, CP3, and Ayton on the floor, I'm so glad that someone that has a good work ethic; He's also never missed a single game iirc (362nd consecutive game).

[@leonash13]

As a Suns' fan the phrase "genuinely happy for him" is actually also my first thought

[@hellojam7965]

I miss him at Phoenix already.. I wish we did not trade him. He’s a solid future star. I hope His record of not missing a game yet in his NBA career continues till he retires.

[@cedricasdfghjkl9151]

I always liked him. I think he is a future all star, but I wish him to become a superstar.

[@MarkLee-bb1gs]

consistency, hard work, great attitude; basically the opposite of zion, kyrie, kawhi and pg13 lol. my new fave player.

[@pavansunkara5358]

Would love to see the player he ends up as, such a likeable dude as well. The comp is much more Kawhi to me, got traded for durant but the player is similar to Kawhi. Great video

[@ConcaCon]

I think Mikal makes one all-star team in the next 2-3 years. The only issue I see is that his team likely has to stay above .500 for him to get that recognition. His production is already there, though teams will gameplan for him a lot harder next season.

[@tavoali2972]

This Is HEAT CHECK my boi

[@ManiKandan-ef3md]

MIKAL BRIDGES ALL STAR NEXT SEASON FOR SURE

[@JG124_]

A year or two ago Jxmyhighroller posted a video about how top NBA players basically choose how many points they want to score in a game. Like if a player genuinely decides "I'm gonna go and score 50 tonight" they will go out there, take all the shots, and score 50. It's not really a matter of if they're capable of doing it at will, but more so whether or not it's the right decision for the team because it might not be an efficient 50 points, and they might not be making the highest percentage play on any given possession etc. The video really changed my perspective about the game. And I think what's happening with Mikal is another aspect of the same concept. It's not that he wasn't capable of doing what he's doing now when he was in Phoenix. They just didn't give him the opportunity. They already had a system in place and a proven player in Devin Booker to lead the offense, so they just stuck with it, really without even considering that they literally had another player that was just as capable of being the main guy right under their noses. It really just goes to show how good these players are in general, that when given the opportunity, any of them could go out put up insane averages.

[@dugdru2]

I said at the trade that Mikal be as good as KD - I got a lot of grief. He is one of my favourite players. Good Vid.

[@RamoncitoMatias]

what i like about his game is his cutting angles on the offball movement

[@shoslashnikko]

his celebration at 3 is hilarious but at least its original 😂😂😂

[@januaryramadhan7765]

Go mikalll 🔥

[@AndrewRadziewicz]

This was a great trade. We are set up nice with Bridges and all those draft picks. Brooklyn is a great place to live and work. It’s nice to see players that want to be here! Goodbye Ben Simmons- please release him asap!!!!

[@davidSFL79]

I certainly hope so, the league is better overall when players like bridges comes up like he has

[@jlindo1234]

This goes to show what role players are really capable of but they are just playing a role that certain teams need. But some of these guys if given the opportunity to lead a team would surprise you with what they can do.

[@BoricuaFlavored]

Dude is having a decent streak in the perfect situation and already hes getting compared to people that have achieved way more. Nowadays players get hyped for free.

[@Tarquin2718]

Bridges ❤

[@dc_drums]

Missed the twins! But glad he’s playing well with the Nets!

[@LevinBurant]

Haven't paid much attention to Bridges but watching your video a lot of his moves look exactly like Durant's!

[@dickwans]

He started taking more offensive responsability after the cruel PO elimination of the SUNS last year against the Mavs. Then during the regular season, with Booker injured, he had time to get used to being one of the main offensive option. The rest is legendary. I wish the SUNS did gave a couple of draft picks and money to keep him in the rooster.

[@NotRicky1310]

As a suns fun, Mikal already developed as the first/second finisher when phoenix stroke hard by injurie before the trade. Man, we love Mikal in phoenix but I have to say with Book and CP3, Mikal never got a chance to play as a shooting guard where he fits the best. He is definitely at allstar level right now (although I still believe he need working on his ball handling).

[@itsjustacomment454]

I think a lot of NBA players can do this if they had the green light. They can turn it up if they need to be the 1 or 2 option. We've seen players turn it down too if they're playing with known higher stars. Chris Bosh and Kevin Love's both switch to support roles when they joined Lebron.

[@erenjager4698]

The #'s can def be replicated to a certain extent but the percentages, the fact that this new team that was slapped together in February is almost 500, and dodged the play in might well not have.

[@marksines1246]

from being the defender of opposing teams best perimeter player from being the best player on a team, jimmy buter like career path

[@arcefelipe17]

His jumper is so smooth 🔥, shout out to the Nets for turning a horrible situation with Kyrie and KD into this

[@deshawnwebster7728]

He deserves The Most Improved Player !

[@ul.7431]

From a good role player to the new face of a franchise. This trade to Brooklyn was the best thing that could happen to him!

[@DrugsSex_Lore]

Hopefully he is a future all star. I think we can build around him

[@pesky19]

i get the durant comparison bc of the trade and mikal stated that durent was his fav player atleast growing up, but because of the defense and stuff he's much more a baby kawhi

[@CarJaco]

Perfect example of a player that need a few years to develop, found a role in the meantime.... and would have never been given an opportunity to be the 'guy' because he was labeled a role player. Lauri too! Just getting the opportunity is so important

[@AtlanticCanadianAstronomy]

Probably 100 players in this league that don't average 30ppg could if they were given the opportunity. Scoring isn't hard now you just need to get the shots up. Love me some bridges though he's killing it!

[@seantierney8145]

I hope he BALLS in the play offs ❤

[@TwaaDoIt]

You have the hardest outro

[@GenghisClaus]

Huge respect for anyone who actually plays every game in today's NBA. "Load management" shouldn't be allowed as far as I am concerned.

[@eldofikrialvin]

I'm a suns fan, it really hurts to lose him for a long run

[@SunsMD]

Not a single Suns fan is surprised by this. He was excellent when Booker was injured.

[@caseyhayward8094]

He reminds me a lot of Kawhi Leonard, his jumpshot and the elevation he gets on it are similar.

[@justinholland6132]

Right? much comparable to him than Kevin durant but I guess kawhi dosent get as many clicks. Clickbating ass

[@rasheedwhite4647]

Sports to the wire had this video weeks ago.

[@MrE_]

This nets team is fun again

[@GetWokeGoBroke69]

Dude is a future All-Star

[@deandrepage1048]

Teammate Cam Thomas is big mad.

[@HeatCheck]

*Support by checking out these awesome NBA T-Shirts:* heatcheck.info/

[@MamadouMoustaphaNdiaye-gv6fv]

The real MIP

[@alwinuding8926]

You did not mention him for most improved in your last video😉

[@theerepenterakatheecomfort277]

I called him being a star when he first arrived I like the new nets more

[@mafimok]

WHY IS THIS NOT AVAILABLE FOR PHILIPPINES?

[@rockonileva]

The Nets just became the most interesting team on the league to me. I really want to know what they will come up building this roster with Bridges, Dinwiddie, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-smith, Nic Claxton.

[@sangtuy10]

Playing with booker helped him master the mid range

[@christ-Revealed]

This series might go 7

[@vincenzoceruti537]

Is Bridges quite similar to Kawhii Leonard at the beginning of his carreer? A really good defender and a solid scorer

[@BobbyP5985]

Why are your video usually 4-6 minutes? Can’t you start making them longer?

[@philippemontambault1494]

Unfortunate he got traded in the middle of the season cause he would def have been a favorite to win most improved player

[@august6281]

they should get DBook as his Robin

[@marvinhenry927]

Def need to change that title

[@Kagemusha08]

Think they'll trade him and do a full rebuild. Bridges will probably be an all star but don't think he's gonna be the first option on a contender. But would he a great second option to a superstar and is on a great contract. Brooklyn could get a hell of a haul for him.

[@austinlastname6110]

Real suns fans knew what bridges was capable of. Still mad about the trade.

[@DefineSeizure]

Also he played every game in the season. Actually 83 games.. since he got traded

[@erenjager4698]

Brooklyn bridges gonna be in the all star game next year 😤👉. Also I'm sorry but can we stop acting like any above avg role players could be doing what mikal is right now? He lead a brand new team thrown together at the deadline to a playoff berth, keeping them out of the play in, on 50/40/90 splits over 22 games. Not just any rotational player is gonna pull up and hoop like that.

[@hcasimir801]

BK Stand Up!

[@jesussoto8854]

that generation of villanova players is insane

[@GregTurismo]

I miss the nerf hoop

[@T_Lives]

Just came back to say yup The Knicks are going to win a championship!

[@ivancrump503]

Hey

[@LoneSamurai_X]

Baby Kawhi (minus load management) is a much better comparison

[@urihamilton1077]

he actually moves a lot like durant does. his body type is like a shorter durant

[@oswaldjackson7015]

Bridges can ball

[@khashmoney6985]

Dame should go to Brooklyn

[@psychotropnilachtan8869]

Oh. So all this time that Ballhog holding his teammates back was Booker ....

[@adiprasetyo7]

I always think Bridges can play like PG13 outside of Suns

[@monkeymoo87]

All he has to do is keep improving his handles and with his already great shooting and finishing he can be KD 2.0

[@MarcusHansen276]

All that changed was usage %

[@antinapay]

Hyperefficient wing with dpoy potential? Bridges is basically a durable, less strong Kawhi

[@raeweeks9285]

Lets go Leon Rose finish the job .......Mikal for Randle we get to keep OB .

[@Ernesto_MyFavTech]

I Love Mikal but was he guarding Luka when the Suns lost to the Mavs last year?