Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving departed town less than a week ago, yet it appeared like the Nets may have a new star on Wednesday night.
A 6-foot-6, two-way standout who can score from everywhere on the court represents promise for the reconstructed Nets.
Mikal Bridges did everything, even finish the game for a team that needed a closer, and scored a career-high 45 points in a 116-105 victory over the Heat in front of 17,964 fans at Barclays Center.
The fifth-place Nets (34-24) will enter the All-Star break on a high note after gaining 2 12 games on the eighth-place Heat (32-27), who dropped to the seventh seed after Wednesday’s victory by the sixth-place Knicks. The Nets must win games like these in order to escape the play-in tournament.
In the fourth quarter, when the Nets raced away from a formidable Miami team, Bridges scored 17 points. Bridges took over midway through the period, scoring 15 consecutive Nets points. Throughout this time, the Nets’ one-point lead expanded to ten points with 4:55 remaining.
Bridges was the best player on the court despite the presence of Heat stalwarts Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. During the decisive run, Bridges stopped Butler off the dribble and converted a jumper while drawing a foul. Then, outstanding ball movement found Bridges in the corner, where he sank one of his four 3-pointers for the evening. After that, Spencer Dinwiddie found Bridges on a cut, and he scored a basket in transition.
Bridges completed 17-for-24, 4-for-6 from 3-point range, and 7-for-7 at the charity stripe, seemingly scoring at will.
When Irving and Durant went, not only did the Nets lose stars, but they also lost game strategies. Their offense was constructed around two all-time scorers.
Wednesday, Bridges commanded the starting lineup while Cam Thomas (19 points on 6-for-11 shooting) paced the bench, demonstrating the template for a defense-minded club seeking direction.
After the Heat’s Jamaree Bouyea made a free throw with 2.7 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Ben Simmons turned and fired a full-court pass to Bridges, who caught the ball, spun, and sank a 12-foot shot to increase the Nets’ lead to 83-80 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Nets still have a ways to go, but they are beginning to demonstrate indications of togetherness.
In a tough first half, neither team led by more than six points as the Nets, playing at full strength for the first time this season despite Durant and Irving’s absences, showcased their new rotations and received contributions from their aspiring new star.
Bridges scored 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the first half, establishing himself as the top option. Bridges called for the ball and responded with a banked runner that also drew a foul when the Heat pushed their advantage to six points late in the second quarter. The free throw he made narrowed the difference to three points.
The Nets’ rotations were trimmed, therefore Yuta Watanabe, Edmond Sumner, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Patty Mills never entered the game. Jacque Vaughn, the head coach, first turned to Simmons, who had to turn jeers into cheers.
Simmons entered the game at the eight-minute mark of the first quarter to a chorus of boos from a Brooklyn crowd that had witnessed his struggles throughout the season.
However, the frequently perplexing fallen star caused Miami to commit a turnover. Early in the first quarter, Bridges found Simmons for a layup, and Simmons then returned the favor by finding Bridges in the corner for a 3-pointer, giving the Nets a 14-9 lead.
A few minutes later, Simmons horribly missed a hook shot, which has become his preferred shot, as though a step back always followed a step forward.
»Mikal Bridges’ career night provides a ray of hope for the Nets in their win over the Heat«