© Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
Mikal Bridges is disappointed in his performance against the Jazz
Nets wing Mikal Bridges is averaging 23.1 points per game this season, but he played significantly better before this tiring West Coast road trip. His struggles reached their apex during Brooklyn's 108-125 loss to the Utah Jazz.
In that game, Mikal shot 4-of-16 from the field, which was from his usual self. Fans weren't the only disheartened party with the performance because Mikal was also critical of his play.
"Just did everything bad: Missing shots, free throws, not defending, not rebounding. Just a bad one," Bridges said to the media after the Jazz game. "Letting my teammates down, coaches down, playing 5-on-4 out basically while I'm out there. I've just gotta be better, and I won't let that happen again."
Mikal has a track record of bounce-back performances
The Nets can rely on Mikal to have strong bounce-back performances. Against the Orlando Magic a couple of weeks ago, the 6'6" wing made a point to play with more assertiveness as he scored 42 points. It was a magical performance that led the Nets to a huge victory after suffering an embarrassing defeat to the Charlotte Hornets in the previous game.
That chip on his shoulder is back because he feels like he has failed the team in the past few games. Nets fans should expect Bridges to have another string of huge performances, given that he's proven to be a reliable player during his time with the team.
A resurgent Mikal makes the Nets a dangerous team
Cameron Thomas is back in his early-season groove, consistently scoring over 30 points per game, which benefits Mikal Bridges by relieving him from the offensive burden, allowing Bridges to play with increased freedom—moving through screens for spot-up threes or cutting to the basket for drop-pass scores.
The Villanova product can still have isolation plays when needed, but having Cam as a partner opens up so much space for him and the rest of the team. The more offensive firepower the Brooklyn has, the more dangerous they are to play against.
Moving forward, coach Jacque Vaughn needs to empower his stars because they can carry the team to multiple victories if the offense keeps evolving around them.
