Mikal Bridges discussion, news and highlights
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Mikal is not one of those players who will have to be given opportunities to develop. He is the type of player that you just won't want to take out of the game once he is in.
He is climbing most rookie ladders right now. He is in the 8 range on most, but he will climb as he gets starters minutes and makes impact.
He is climbing most rookie ladders right now. He is in the 8 range on most, but he will climb as he gets starters minutes and makes impact.
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- MathiasPW
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"Heading into Friday’s matchup in Milwaukee, Bridges, as a rookie, led the entire league in on/off point differential"
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He's a great example of why it much easier to develop a guy who comes in ready to play defense. Almost all young guys make mistakes and take time to be effective offensive players but when you can hold your own on d coaches play you and that gives you the reps you need to grow.jcsunsfan wrote:Mikal is not one of those players who will have to be given opportunities to develop. He is the type of player that you just won't want to take out of the game once he is in.
He is climbing most rookie ladders right now. He is in the 8 range on most, but he will climb as he gets starters minutes and makes impact.
Now the tricky part is not a lot of prospects are as ready defensively as Bridges was coming in.
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- wheezy
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WeekapaugGroove wrote:He's a great example of why it much easier to develop a guy who comes in ready to play defense. Almost all young guys make mistakes and take time to be effective offensive players but when you can hold your own on d coaches play you and that gives you the reps you need to grow.jcsunsfan wrote:Mikal is not one of those players who will have to be given opportunities to develop. He is the type of player that you just won't want to take out of the game once he is in.
He is climbing most rookie ladders right now. He is in the 8 range on most, but he will climb as he gets starters minutes and makes impact.
Now the tricky part is not a lot of prospects are as ready defensively as Bridges was coming in.
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I think the biggest part of this is the dude was trained on how to defend in college and stayed there for 3 years. I'm indifferent on the one and done rules, but staying at Villanova definitely helped him out a lot.
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Now in his 11th season, Phoenix forward Ryan Anderson has watched his niche in the NBA evolve from a novelty to something approaching nostalgia. But he can also see the future of his position. In fact, the future sits right next to him in the Suns locker room. It is in the cubicle occupied by rookie Mikal Bridges.
Anderson, who started the season as a Suns starter, has slipped out of coach Igor Kokoskov’s rotation. So he has made it his pet project to help Bridges, a rookie from Villanova. It is Bridges who now is in the starting lineup and playing bigger minutes.
“Mikal, man, he is such a talented young player, and he has a really bright future in this league,” Anderson said. “You see so many flashes of it this season even so far. He’s long, he’s athletic, he can guard. He’s kind of the future of that three-four combo in the NBA. I think he’s one of those guys who plays with a chip on his shoulder. And, like me, he’s his own worst enemy sometimes because I don’t think he realizes how good he really is.” So Anderson reminds Bridges of how good he is at every opportunity. He even has a pet name for his pet project.
https://theathletic.com/683719/2018/11/29/ryan-anderson-has-seen-the-future-of-the-nbas-big-forward-he-sits-right-next-to-him
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Thought he was supposed to be a decent shooter?
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DaleyBlind wrote:Thought he was supposed to be a decent shooter?
I am disappointed.
Bridges is not looking good, he can not create at all and his shooting is a mess right now.
Defensively he is OK, but nothing special to talk about it.
Hopefully he improves.
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McD had never done well when trading up for a player in the draft(Goodwin, Chriss etc) and I hope this isn't another case of that.
If he's the big piece in a deal for a guy like Beal then I'm all over it. And there's ZERO chance I trade Warren over him.
If he's the big piece in a deal for a guy like Beal then I'm all over it. And there's ZERO chance I trade Warren over him.
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MIkal has been somewhat disappointing recently, particularly on offense, but I'm not worried about him. He still had 5 boards, 3 steals, 2 blocks and 2 assists. His shots will start to fall. He has great form and projected to be a great shooter. We can't give up on defenders.
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He has hit some kind of wall. His shot even looks diffrent, he is moving forward and not getting lift any more.
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- RaisingArizona
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It's hard to get excited about our young guys because after they play well for a stretch, they start to play bad. It's happened with all of them.
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- MrMiyagi
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RaisingArizona wrote:It's hard to get excited about our young guys because after they play well for a stretch, they start to play bad. It's happened with all of them.
Young players being inconsistent, who'd've thought?
Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and 4 1st round picks and a swap so some Vegas Bookies would like us.
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Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. - Isaac Asimov
Let us sing when we can, and forget the rest. - H.P. Lovecraft
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- Djedefre
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I'm pretty puzzled by Kal's bad shooting so far. He's bricking even wide open shots. How legit of a shooter is he really?
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Djedefre wrote:I'm pretty puzzled by Kal's bad shooting so far. He's bricking even wide open shots. How legit of a shooter is he really?
Shot 43.5% last year on 3.4 attempts per game and projected as best 3 pt shooter in this class. Shot 84.5% from the line and only 90% the previous year. Has a great high release point and nice shooting motion. I think he is just in a slump and will be fine.
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Better scouting. Teams know what he can do now and are giving him different looks. He has to find a rhythm and take what the defense gives him. That's a learning process in itself. I'm not worried
lilfishi22 wrote:More than ever....we are in the championship or bust endgame
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- Djedefre
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bwgood77 wrote:Djedefre wrote:I'm pretty puzzled by Kal's bad shooting so far. He's bricking even wide open shots. How legit of a shooter is he really?
Shot 43.5% last year on 3.4 attempts per game and projected as best 3 pt shooter in this class. Shot 84.5% from the line and only 90% the previous year. Has a great high release point and nice shooting motion. I think he is just in a slump and will be fine.
I know that, i watch a ton of college ball. It's just that the slump lasts from the 2nd or 3rd SL game. That's a pretty hefty amount of games. As someone who was an elite spot-up shooter in college to struggle this much while vast majority of his shots are assisted is a bit concerning. At least to me.
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Ringer article on JJ and Bridges; nothing we didn't already know but a good read.
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/12/7/18129516/josh-jackson-mikal-bridges-suns-shooting
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/12/7/18129516/josh-jackson-mikal-bridges-suns-shooting
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming Wow! What a Ride!-H.S.T.
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Suns fans have PTSD.
Every time a young player struggles they think of Marquees Chriss shaped IEDs sitting on the bench.
I have zero worries about Bridges. We hit on that pick.
Every time a young player struggles they think of Marquees Chriss shaped IEDs sitting on the bench.
I have zero worries about Bridges. We hit on that pick.
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Mikal looked good yesterday. Shot and form was excellent. He was one of the few that could make their shots and not look like duds. Melton and Ariza had corner three that were complete clank in Q3. I never seen Ariza shot so badly than on that shot.
Mikal looks like he wasn't very happy with Igor and his limited touch. He should have shot more
Mikal looks like he wasn't very happy with Igor and his limited touch. He should have shot more