Mikal Bridges

It took Mikal Bridges all of three games with the Brooklyn Nets to offer a scintillating preview of his offensive star power. No longer a second or third scoring option after the Phoenix Suns traded him in the Kevin Durant blockbuster, Bridges could not be contained by the Miami Heat as he beat Jimmy Butler in a one-on-one isolation matchup with a difficult off-balance runner in the lane. The fifth-year forward extinguished the Heat with a career-best 45 points on 17 of 24 shooting while also posting eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, two blocks and four 3-pointers in Brooklyn’s 116-105 win on February 15, 2023. In 27 regular season games with the Nets, Bridges averaged 26.1 points per game — nearly nine points higher than his best Phoenix season.