After Mikael Bridges recently received a 4-year, 90 million salary extension for the Suns, the other Bridges in the 18th class seems to have been stimulated, showing extremely strong competitiveness in the first few days. And when it comes to Milesbridges, what will be everyone's first impression? If he was still stuck in the simple buckle, or the wasp's bench bandit, it was time to treat him differently.
The time goes back to the 2018 draft, when the Charlotte Hornets took Alexander off with the first round of the No. 11 pick, but they did not bring it to Charlotte, but traded down to the No. 12 picked by the Clippers, Milesbridges, the NCAA's No. 34 swinging forward for michigan University, with excellent physical fitness and explosive bouncing power, and this physical quality exploded, like a beast but a player with unstable shooting, it is also reminiscent of Aaron Gordon, but compared to Gordon, Bridges is even shorter at 2.01 meters, and the biggest worry in the training process is probably to become the kind of embarrassing player who is "not three or four".
At the time of joining the Hornets, Bridges was fortunate to enter the main rotation of this reconstructed team, but the main positioning given to him by the team at that time was still a defensive-oriented 3D, but as the Hornets' main small forward Batum was gradually abandoned, the young and more energetic Bridges also officially ushered in the position, the last 2 seasons, Bridges has gradually played a pivotal role in the team's system, but no one expected that in the beginning of this season, Bridges has ushered in a strong outbreak , truly interpreting what is called "breaking out of the cocoon".
Although there is a major competitor of Oubre in the same position, Bridges is not only not affected, but has become the most relied scorer for the Hornets, and in 6 games, Bridges can average 25.5 points, 8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and the three shooting rates have reached 50.9%, 36.2% and 88% respectively. To know that his first two seasons of the top sky is the average of 13 + 6 ordinary data, basically rely on physical fitness from time to time to a few empty dunks, occasionally on the outside line to suddenly cast cold arrows, but in these few games this season, Bridges's ability to hold the ball has obviously ushered in a significant improvement, under borego's adjustment, Bridges is now mainly playing the No. 4 position, the impact damage in the penalty area is indeed much stronger than the previous two seasons, the most obvious is the free throw, Straight from 1.7 last season to 4.2, the other 88 percent of free throw shooting also hit a career-high.
You may question that it's because Rozier is away, plus PJ Washington's playing time has also been divided, but the gorgeous list that Bridges has now handed over is indeed worthy of the second-highest use rate of his team (25.6% of the usage rate is second only to the 28.4% three-goal). It is precisely because of his ability to hold the ball that Borrego dared to let him take on the heavy responsibility of the No. 4 position, although he suffered losses in height, but Bridges's flexible traverse ability, coupled with the ability to shoot outside, allowed him to help the team open up enough offensive space to allow three goals, Hayward to tear apart the opponent's penalty area defense in turn, but also to resist the fire of the opposing strike group to a limited extent. One of the main reasons why he is not at a disadvantage with some No. 4 counterparts is his successful muscle gain in the offseason.
I don't know if it is an illusion, Bridges this season gives people the feeling that they have become stronger again, on the basis of the original 101KG, they should have gained weight to at least close to 4KG, and this season, like Bane of the Grizzlies and Hiro of the Heat, have become more courageous and good at war because of their successful increase, is this the code of their evolution?
Back to the point, after successfully gaining weight, Bridges did not give up his diversity on the offensive end, the same as the fixed point to catch the ball, but he can now hold the ball with one step to make a retreat of the three-pointer, can also continue to crossover dribbling, and turn to the basket to attack, for the slightly thin defender, this tank pressure domineering play is indeed difficult to stop.
In the second game of the season against the Cavaliers, facing the opponent's "four-forward" combination composed of Mobley + Allen + Markkanen + Lefour, Bridges can be said to have completely killed the red eye, shooting 24 shots in the whole game, hitting 13 goals, including 4 of 9 three-pointers, scoring 30 points, just when everyone thought he might be just a flash in the pan, immediately in the second game against the championship-winning big hit Nets, Bridges once again opened his own insoluble attack, in the face of durant, the league's top killer, While Durant scored 38 points, Bridges also scored 32 points and helped recover to beat his opponent by 16 points. After several years of experience, Bridges has greatly improved in both production and efficiency on the offensive end this season, so that the offensive distribution area inside and outside the city really makes it difficult for defenders to limit it. Although so far, there has not been any mid-range shooting, but in the Hornets' tactical system, as long as it runs with three goals and Hayward to perform an air connection performance, it is finished, as for the middle-distance projection that does not have much substantive significance, it is really a dispensable chicken rib thing.
In fact, looking at the best players in the east and west in the first week of the opening, it seems that they have already predicted to the fans and friends what performances cannot be missed, if Curry's three-point feast of 100 steps through Yang always makes the fans fascinated, then don't forget that Bridges on the other side is also erupting his own small cosmic energy, with a dreamlike "bee crazy" performance, proving that he is worthy of the discussion of the best progressive players this season, and it is also worth a fat maximum salary contract.