The upcoming season can be tagged as the Phoenix Suns' revenge year. They shocked the basketball world with their stellar regular season and playoff performance. Unfortunately, head coach Monty Williams and crew failed to finish the job, falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals. Despite the not-so-happy ending, there's a good reason to remain optimistic if you're a Suns fan. The most obvious reason is that the Suns' roster is well intact, with Chris Paul secured over the next four years. Another reason is swingman Mikal Bridges who may be in for a breakout season in 2021-22.
For most of the Suns' amazing 2020-21 NBA season run, it was Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton who got the spotlight. And it was all for a good reason. Paul proved how he can drastically change the culture of a team. Booker, for his part, showed why he's one of the best scorers in the league today. As for Ayton, he just continues getting better every year. Thankfully, there were a few fans and analysts who reminded everyone that basketball, is first and foremost, a team sport. With this in mind, they noticed other Suns' players particularly Mikal Bridges and his antics as a bona fide 3-and-D player.
The 3-and-D tag gets thrown out a lot these days. So much so that literally every team has a “3-and-D” player in their squad. It seems that to be labeled a 3-and-D player, you just need to have a decent stroke and can defend relatively well. If that's the case, then almost everyone in the NBA is a 3-and-D player. However, if we're very strict and uphold the league to the highest standards, then only a handful can be rightfully called a legitimate 3-and-D player. And yes, Bridges belongs to that shortlist.
As for one, Bridges shot a ridiculous 42.5 percent from deep on 4.4 attempts last season. Haters would say that he doesn't take enough attempts to be considered elite. That's simply because 3-point shooting — while probably his biggest asset — is just one of the many things he does on offense. He also has his mid-range jumpers locked down. In addition, he's a terrific player off the ball, making him the perfect Chris Paul teammate.
We may see Bridges boost his averages and 3-point attempts in the coming season. In a recent interview, head coach Monty Williams shared that they aim to develop Bridges into their third scoring option behind Booker and Paul. To do this, Williams says that Bridges will not just continue his role moving off the ball with hopes of finding an opening either from outside or in the paint. Rather, Williams wants Bridges to handle the ball. With this clear game plan in mind, Bridges himself shared that he's working on his handles and strength.
In terms of defense, Bridges usually takes on the colossal task of defending the opposing team's best player. Don't let that lanky stature fool you. Bridges can stand his ground against someone as strong as LeBron James. Against a crafty player like Luka Doncic, Bridges, too, knows how to defend him. For all his efforts, Bridges received the 11th most votes in the 10-man field of the All-Defensive team. He received a total of 39 votes. Kawhi Leonard, the last shoo-in, received 43.
All in all, Bridges is lined up for a great 2021-22 NBA season. Monty Williams knows that he has it in him to be a legitimate threat on offense. In terms of defense, Mikal Bridges is always a safe bet. Don't be surprised if Bridges finally makes the All-Defensive Team this season. He may even add a Most Improved Player trophy in the bag.
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