Mikal Bridges earned fans and admiration for his good-natured and understanding response to getting traded in the Kevin Durant blockbuster. And as it turns out, getting traded from the Phoenix Suns might have been the best thing to happen to Bridges. Because less than a week into his career with the Brooklyn Nets, Bridges is settling in nicely.
The Nets defeated the Miami Heat on Wednesday, winning 116-105. Bridges was a huge part of that, leading both teams with 45 points.
Mikal Bridges went OFF in the Nets W.
45 points
8 rebounds
5 assists
4 threes pic.twitter.com/UFT19T2NK1— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2023
In the process, Bridges made and the Nets made history.
Bridges joined Durant, Kyrie Irving and Cam Thomas as Nets have a 45-point game this season. No other team in NBA has had four different players reach that mark in the same season.
Mikal Bridges had a career-high 45 points tonight making him the 4th Net with a 45-point game this season. (Cam Thomas, Kevin Durant & Kyrie Irving)
That is the most individuals to score 45 points by a single team in NBA history. @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/keT5wb58vN
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 16, 2023
The Nets made the obvious — but still creative — joke on Twitter.
BROOKLYN BRIDGES
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 16, 2023
Bridges was roundly praised in the NBA world for his breakout performance.
It’s a difference between playing the right way and waiting your turn and being held back!
Mikal Bridges with a smooth 45 piece wing dinner, 8 biscuits and 5 apple pies. Phoenix was in the damn way! Carry on…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) February 16, 2023
You know the type of guy Mikal Bridges is when he gets traded and Suns fans start watching his Brooklyn game just to support him. It’s like watching our family member.
One of my favorite Suns ever.
— LEEZUS (@AndrewLeezus) February 16, 2023
Mikal Bridges is everyone's favorite Net now, right?
— Doug Norrie (@DougNorrie) February 16, 2023
Mikal Bridges tonight vs. Miami: 45 points (4-6 3PT), 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks.
Bridges is flashing future All-NBA potential since flipping the switch as an aggressive scorer. pic.twitter.com/irSEyJpr6S
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 16, 2023
https://twitter.com/TermineRadio/status/1626055269582270465
Mikal Bridges is going to be a star.
— Robin Lundberg (@robinlundberg) February 16, 2023
The Nets didn’t have anything close to the team success they should have had after signing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant following the 2018-19 season. With those two players both now elsewhere, that era of Brooklyn’s history can be labeled a bust. But something good might have come out of its end. Thomas has taken advantage of the extra playing time and Bridges certainly looks like he can be a force.
If those two can be cornerstone players going forward, the Nets might come out of the fiasco that was the Durant-Irving era in decent shape.
[NBA on Twitter, ESPN Stats & Info on Twitter]
