In the battle between the Suns and Pelican King Mountain, Suns youngster Bridges performed well, playing 46 minutes and 54 seconds in this battle, and only resting for 66 seconds. In this key game, Bridges shot 12 of 17, 4 of three-pointers, and 31 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks on 3-of-3 free throws, which can be described as an attack and defense integration, and 31 points in a single game also set a new playoff scoring record for Bridges. When Booker was injured and unable to play, Bridges became the second core of the team, and was also a good helper for Paul, and with his help, the team also successfully won the Battle of Tennoyama at home and successfully won the series match points.
Bridges also set a record with his magic stats in this game, he was the first player in Suns history to score 30+ points with 100% shooting in the playoffs, and he played an all-time high in this game.
As a 3D player, Bridges has done his job well in this game, working the defensive end, trying to limit the play of Ingram, CJ and Graham, and achieving very good results. The data shows that when Ingram faced Bridges' defense, he shot 1 of 5 from the field, while CJ only shot 1 of 9 and Graham shot 0 of 2. When the three players faced Bridges' defense, they scored only five points in total, shooting 2-of-16. From this aspect, it is enough to see how outstanding Bridges' defense in this game is.
On the offensive end, Bridges also ushered in a big explosion, after the team lacked Booker's stable offensive strength, he filled Booker's position in the team very well, whether it was an outside three-pointer, or a breakthrough with the ball, or an empty cut to the basket and convert the offense, he completed his task very well and shined in the game. Scoring 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting in the game, he was better off than the rest of the players. He was the biggest contributor to the Suns' victory, the team was able to win the G5, and Bridges' performance was very important.
The series wasn't easy for the Suns, though they finished no. 1 in the league in the regular season, making them the season's regular season champions. The Pelicans only finally entered the playoffs by virtue of their performance in the playoffs, and there is a big gap between the two teams in terms of strength and record.
Unfortunately, Booker's injury filled the series with suspense, and the Pelicans seized the opportunity, and under Ingram's leadership, the team won two games in the series, and they proved themselves capable of beating the Suns on the playoff stage. At this stage, Booker may not come back in this series, and the Suns have thought about the first round, and they are not difficult.
For now, the Suns want to go through the first round, Paul needs Bridges to perform so well every game, Booker is injured, the team's twin stars are only Paul, and the Suns want to win the next game, it is not realistic to rely only on Paul's play, other players need to come forward. Bridges is the most balanced player in the Suns lineup, and if he maintains a performance like G5 in the game, then the Suns have a high probability of advancing to the next round.