Phoenix Suns: 4 key factors fueling a scorching start to the year
By Dylan Carter
3. Huge start from Mikal Bridges comes up big for the Phoenix Suns.
A fan favorite in the Valley, swingman Mikal Bridges has some pep in his step through seven games. His uncanny 69.4% effective field goal percentage makes him one of the most efficient scorers in all of basketball, ranking higher than many of the big men who rely on paint touches. His off-ball decisions have been assertive, his finishing has been exceptional and those 3-pointers are falling at a 46.7% clip — granted he’s taking fewer of them than usual.
Lazily trademarked as a 3-and-D player, Bridges is far more multifaceted than his label would suggest. He’s a solid ball-handler in spurts and an exceptional slasher thanks to his long reach and lanky frame. Phoenix is also finding its fan-favorite wing in creative ways, making him the fourth-highest-ranked perimeter player in terms of points per possession off cuts.
Monty Williams said he's talked to Mikal Bridges about growing his game in the short roll, praising his ability to make those reads or finish plays himself. Said they're taking more bites out of the apple with stuff like that this year
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) October 31, 2022
With a newfound confidence and a wide variety of ways to get him the ball, Bridges is having his best start to a year yet. If they stick, which is a tall task, the fifth-year player will post career-best marks in points, blocks, rebounds and assists per game, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free-throw percentage. Again, it’s unrealistic to suggest all of these will maintain through an 82-game season, but the Suns are a far better team with Bridges active and engaged.