The Phoenix Suns will be partaking in the “bubble” games at Walt Disney World in sunny Orlando, Florida. Unfortunately, the team will be without starting small forward Kelly Oubre Jr., who is still recovering from knee surgery.
While it's definitely a bummer for the Suns that Oubre won't be in Orlando, it does present youngster Mikal Bridges with a big opportunity to showcase his skills on the NBA's biggest stage.
Suns F Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) is expected to miss resumption of season to continue rehabbing, reports our NBA Insider @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/ujimKQZBoK
— Stadium (@Stadium) June 17, 2020
Bridges averaged 14.4 points in the nine games Oubre missed for the Suns before the 2019-20 season was halted in March. Overall on the campaign, the 23-year-old Philadelphia native is putting up 8.7 points, 4.0 boards and 1.8 assists while shooting 51.6 percent from the field, 35.2 percent from beyond the arc and 84.8 percent from the free-throw line.
The Suns will be battling it out with the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings for the final playoff spot out West. No one is really giving Phoenix a chance since the club only racked up 26 wins prior to the season getting suspended.
All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker and former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton are the two best players on the Suns. The only way Phoenix is going to shock the world and reach the 2020 playoffs is if both Booker and Ayton average around 20 to 25 points per game during the “bubble” games.
Moreover, the Suns will also need a third 20-point scorer since Oubre is out. This is a golden opportunity for Bridges to show the basketball world he's capable and ready to be that third offensive weapon for the Arizona franchise.
Due to his sound 3-point shooting and defensive versatility (he can guard positions one through four), Bridges has been labeled as a future 3&D guy for the Suns. That's limiting what he can do on offense, though. Bridges is a guy who has shown he can put the ball on the floor and create shots for himself and others.
Defenses are going to be double-teaming and trapping Booker at every turn in Orlando since he's one of the best scorers in the game. If opponents stop Booker, odds are the Suns are going to lose.
With that said, Booker needs another guy who can take some offensive pressure off of him from the perimeter. Ayton is the man for that job in the paint, but Bridges needs to be the outside guy who can aid Booker.
The “bubble” games are going to provide Mikal Bridges with all the opportunities in the world to have the ball in his hands more. Let's see if he can break out at Disney World and turn into a more multi-skilled player for the Suns.
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