Mikal Bridges ranks third in the NBA in total minutes this season. He had averaged 36.5 minutes per game over his last 10 appearances heading into Sunday’s road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The 6-6 forward also owns the longest active streak of consecutive games played in the league. He obviously hasn’t missed a single start in a while. But after averaging just 16.5 points per game while shooting 37.4% from the field, 30.1% from 3-point range and 68.6% from 3-point range since the All-Star break, some are worried about ball wear. the regular season is starting to catch up with Bridges.
And who could blame them for assuming so? After all, the 27-year-old has been asked to do more in Brooklyn this season than at any other time in his professional career. Although Bridges is known as an Iron Man, he is still human.
But whenever the conversations about Bridges’ decline become the loudest, he always seems to bounce back in a big way. The Nets’ 120-101 loss to Cleveland on Sunday was no different. He finished with 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting (5-of-8 from deep) with five rebounds, five assists and three steals in 35 minutes to help Brooklyn end a two-game losing streak.
The Nets are now 3.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for 10th place in the standings. Eastern Conference standingsas they continue to battle for a spot in the Play-In tournament.
“It was good for Mikal to see some shots… Just take the pressure off yourself and step up your efforts,” said the interim head coach. Kevin Ollie said. “He works so hard, so I know the seeds he planted are going to bloom at some point. He is meticulous in his work and [it’s] will show. And like I said the other day, wrestling is part of it. And it will grow if it doesn’t stop in the middle. And he didn’t stop in the middle of the evening. He finished it to the end.
Brooklyn led by 12 points early in the second quarter, thanks to Bridges’ aggressive offensive start, and never trailed in the first half. However, Cleveland finished the first half on a 17-6 run (10-2 over the final 3:12 of the second quarter) to cut its deficit to one at the break.
The Cavaliers took their first lead of the game just 18 seconds into the third quarter after an errant pass. Cam Thomas led to a layup for Isaac Okoro at the other end.
However, the Nets didn’t let a lethargic start to the second half cripple them. Instead, they responded with their best quarter of the season, outscoring Cleveland 44-29 in the period while shooting 17 of 24 from the field and 8 of 10 from deep.
Brooklyn ended up outscoring the Cavaliers 68-50 in the second half, shooting 53.2% from the field, 51.4% from deep (18 of 35) and 90% from the free throw line (18 of 20) to the game. . He also had 33 assists on 42 field goals.
“I think when we make shots, everyone is positive and communicating at the highest level.” Dennis Schröder said. “I think we just have to keep doing this. Even though we don’t shoot the ball well, I think communication has to be at the highest level in every game. But tonight we shot the ball very, very well.
Thomas, now two games into a six-game absence, scored 20 of his game-high 29 points in the second half. Schröder added 17 points in his ninth straight start and Nicholas Claxton recorded his 25th double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Bridges and Thomas combined for 10 treys.
The Cavaliers, who were without Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley And Dean Wade, were led by Georges Niang, who scored 20 points in 24 minutes. Cam Johnson missed his third straight game for the Nets on Sunday.
Brooklyn will have two days off before its next road game Wednesday against the Orlando Magic.
“We can’t keep talking about effort and energy,” Thomas said. “We just have to go out there and do it. If we want to enter the Play-In, we just have to do it. We just have to bring energy and effort every game, knowing what’s at stake.
