"I just gotta be better" - Mikal Bridges wants to bounce back amid rough performances to start the season

The Brooklyn Nets star wants to improve on his performances from the first two games of the 2023/24 season.

© Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

Entering the 2023/24 season, it was nearly unanimous that Mikal Bridges was the primary star for the Brooklyn Nets. In the initial two games of the season, Mikal Bridges has found it challenging to replicate his scoring prowess from the latter half of the 2022/23 season, netting only 20 and 18 points, respectively.

Cameron Thomas has picked up the slack and has scored 36 and 30 points over those games. Unfortunately, the Nets lost both games, which can be attributed to their opponents’ uptick in production with Donovan Mitchell’s heroics and Luka Doncic’s 49-point outburst. Nonetheless, Mikal sees the positives with the team, but he wants to perform better individually.

“They just got stops. Personally, I’m not executing. So, I couldn’t help my team out. Luka got it going, just was doing what he do,” Bridges said after the 120-125 loss. “Not really, I think just missing shots, missing layups, missing my teammates open. I just gotta be better.”

Mikal can be the star for Brooklyn again

The spotlight has been on Thomas over the past couple of games, but Bridges is still the main man for coach Jacque Vaughn and the Nets. While Mikal has faced initial challenges in maintaining consistent performance across all four quarters, he remains a highly skilled offensive player and an exceptional defender.

Back-T👌-Back @mikal_bridges pic.twitter.com/t0xVeySuUf

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 28, 2023

Under the motion offense system led by Simmons, Mikal has excelled in off-ball movement and cuts to the hoop, although his point output has dipped due to fewer isolation plays compared to the latter part of last season.

That Ben Simmons/Mikal Bridges connection is something special 🔥 pic.twitter.com/l1bhl55s8Z

— Jit🤧 (@JitDontMiss) October 28, 2023

Mikal has a golden opportunity against Charlotte

The Charlotte Hornets are next on the Nets’ schedule, and they will be a good bounce-back game for the whole roster. Charlotte lacks the top-tier defenders needed to contain Mikal, allowing him to excel with his off-ball maneuvers, spot-up three-pointers, and self-created scoring opportunities.

Facing rookie Brandon Miller in the upcoming game, Mikal Bridges can leverage his experience to outplay the first-year player. Nets fans need not be overly concerned, as the team is still in the adjustment phase, and Mikal has a proven track record of reliability and, most importantly, durability. 

The Brooklyn Nets lose to the Dallas Mavericks due to Doncic’s 49-point outburst