How Mikal Bridges' Playmaking Is Keeping The Suns Afloat
Despite a rough year for the Phoenix Suns, Mikal Bridges' offensive development stands out above the noise.
The last nine months for the Phoenix Suns have felt bottomless. The proverbial arse-kicking they received from Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2022 West Semifinals was only the catalyst.
Let’s recap:
In the months proceeding, they’ve dealt with the rumpus Robert Sarver situation and transition to a new Governor in Mat Ishiba. Chris Paul has shown his age more often than not. Devin Booker has been available for 29 games due to injury. And all the while, a big gray cloud also known as the Deandre Ayton debacle has been hovering over the franchise.
While nature is healing (slowly), the Suns find themselves tied with the Jazz for the 8th seed out West. That is understandable, but disappointing after finishing as the top seed last year.
Digging for positives has felt like searching for a needle in a haystack at times. But if any good has come from the first part of this season, it’s the offensive development of Mikal Bridges.
Already viewed as an elite defender, his 6-6 frame and 7-1 wingspan have helped him swipe no less than 1.1 steals per game across his first four seasons. The defense was never a worry. But after multiple seasons playing alongside Booker and CP3, their offensive chops and wit can be seen manifesting in Bridges at times.
Whether he’s tossing a CP3-esque pocket pass that fits through the tightest of windows or fearlessly seizing control of fastbreaks like Booker, his growth has been evident. This was on full display in Wednesday night’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.
The confidence to navigate ball screens and keep his dribble alive is new this season. He can be seen trolling deep into the paint while waiting for a passing window to open up.
His 3.6 assists are a full 1.3 higher than his previous career high and his 14.3 AST% puts him in the 74th percentile. This is a big development as he’s always hovered between the 31st-38th percentile over the last three seasons, according to Cleaning The Glass.
This vast improvement as a playmaker is accentuated by the fact that he’s seeing the highest usage of his career at 18.9%, more than 5% higher than his previous best. In most cases, wings forced into on-ball roles typically tend to turn the ball over. Not Bridges. While his turnovers are up 0.6, his turnover percentage of 8.8% places him in the 86th percentile. Still elite.
Perhaps the most glaring improvement from Bridges can be seen on fastbreaks, or when he gets open in space. For much of the season, he hasn’t had a CP3 or Booker to defer to in transition. This has been good for him. Now, even with CP3 back in the lineup, he takes initiative. These two plays in the opening quarter of Wednesday’s game help tell the story.
Aside from all of the improvement, Bridges’ jump shot continues to be a weapon, specifically from the corner. He’s shooting 46.3% on all corner threes this season, which leads the league out of players who have attempted at least 100 such shots.
Statistically, Bridges is having his best season to date. His averages of 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists all serve as career highs. Even with the improvement, he’s taken his game to another level over the past month.
Over his last 10 games, he’s averaging 23 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.5 steals while flirting with the holy grail of efficiency at 48/39/93 shooting splits. Phoenix is 6-4 during that span and has wins over Memphis, Brooklyn, and Indiana.
Not only is Bridges’ development paramount for the future of the franchise, but it will also pay dividends should the Suns hold on and make the playoffs. With plenty of blitzes and doubles in store for a healthy Booker, Bridges will be called upon to facilitate more of the offense. Rather than in years past, he appears ready to assume that “second-star” type of role. When asked about that, he had this to say:
“In the playoffs how they blitz or take Book or C out, it comes down to other guys making plays, which is me, Cam (Johnson), and everyone else. That is what we need, gives us the confidence to go out there and play. We put in a lot of work to be ready for the moment, and we just go out there and try to make a play.”
It appears Phoenix has weathered the storm. With a healthy roster looming and the trade deadline on the horizon, they are gearing up for a postseason run. And this time, they have a battle-tested Bridges to help carry the load.