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Showing posts with label Mikal bridges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mikal bridges. Show all posts

Nets disrespected in latest NBA Power Rankings



 NBA.com released its Week 7 Power Rankings, and while the Brooklyn Nets jumped up three spots, their place in the league pecking order seems somewhat disrespectful.

The league webpage cites, Ben Simmons' injury status and all the inferior teams the Nets have beat on the schedule as reasons as to why they landed where they did at No. 19 overall. 

The Warriors and Clippers, respectively, are ranked just ahead of the Nets despite both clubs fashioning sub .500 records. 

Jacque Vaughn and crew will gladly take this recent slight as motivation to fuel the remainder of the campaign. 

While Brooklyn might not be ready to mix it up with the heavy weight title contenders, the emergence of Cam Thomas, the continued development of Mikal Bridges as a option 1B. and a supporting cast that runs nine deep and can shoot the lights, make the Nets a team to watch.


 

One interesting note from the NBA.com piece is that the Nets are 10-1 when they surrender less than 120 points this season with their only loss coming on opening night to Cleveland. 

The Nets prolific offensive scoring was not something on many pundits radar as the team is littered with outstanding individual defenders, but that has taken a backseat to a run and gun offensive system predicated on volume threes. 

Brooklyn's schedule gets a bit tougher over the next nine games as they play eight on the road including a West Coast swing in Sacramento, Phoenix, Denver, Golden State and Utah before coming home December 20 to play host to the Knicks. 

If the Nets are able to tread water of this tough stretch, they may continue to slowly climb up the Power Rankings ladder.   


Nets star has jersey retired at storied college basketball program

 


Mikal Bridges may be Brooklyn's very own, but his heart will always be in Philly. The former Villanova Wildcat and Philadelphia native had his jersey retired at the Pavilion on Friday night.

Bridges is approaching the prime years of his NBA career, but he was honored as one of the all-time greats under a legendary coach in Jay Wright.

Bridges won the National Championship as a freshman in 2016 (program's first since 1985) and again as a junior in 2018.

Coincidentally, Brooklyn will take on Philadelphia on Sunday night at Barclays Center.

Come Sunday, Bridges will surely cast aside his Philadelphia loyalty and try to deal the Nets Atlantic Division foe only it's fourth loss of the season after a scorching hot 9-3 start. 

Mikal Bridges hits career low in this statistical category


Mikal Bridges is the NBA's Iron Man. With 401 consecutive games played and a summer full of FIBA competition in the Philippines, Brooklyn's small forward doesn't have the words "load management" in his vocabulary. 

 Bridges has shot a dismal 29.3 percent from long range. Whether this is a mini slump, a cumulative effect from not missing any time during the season or this summer or a combination of both, it's something Nets fans will keep an eye on. 

 It's only nine games into the season, but without Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton and Ben Simmons in the lineup on Friday against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Celtics, Bridges produced just 12 points on 4 of 11 from the field and 1 for 6 from 3-point range. 

 It's such a small sample size to draw any definitive conclusions but if the Nets hope you tread water without three starters, Bridges will need to play like the star he showed he can be in the second half of the 2022-23 season when he was the return package for Kevin Durant.

Mikal Bridges appears in exclusive interview on TBS' "The Reel"

 



Mikal Bridges appeared the new TBS show, "The Reel with Kenny Beecham". The show made its debut on Monday, October 17th at midnight EST.

The episode explored Bridges interests beyond basketball as well as his basketball journey throughout the ranks to reach NBA stardom.

The interview is sure to delight Nets fans as Brooklyn's good guy is admired by fans and teammates alike. 

Stay tuned to TBS.com or other platforms to rewatch the interview as it becomes available. 

Mikal Bridges named ahead of ex-Net superstar on ESPN top 100 player rankings

According to ESPN's top 100 NBA player rankings, Nets small forward Mikal Bridges hits at No. 33 overall. Bridges, 27, is looking for his first All-Star nomination this upcoming season. Many argue that Bridges should be higher up the list but another Net turned Maverick actually fell behind Brooklyn's good guy. An 8-time All-Star, former Rookie of the Year and NBA champion, Kyrie Irving was named just behind Bridges at No. 34 overall. While it's worth debating if both players should be ranked higher, Bridges' best ability is his availability, as he played in 83 regular season games and all five playoff games last year. While Bridges has been an NBA Ironman, Irving has been quite the opposite. 

Irving missed games for a multitude of reasons ranging from personal to unexcused absences to injuries.

It's clear Brooklyn is in good hands with Bridges leading the charge. 

How Kooky Kyrie, The Bearded One, and Kevin, too, ruined Nets' Superteam

It started with a clean sweep and ended with a clean sweep. Bookended by utter bliss and overwhelming dysfunction, the Nets superteam era was littered with disappointment and sprinkled with highlights. 

 From James Harden's lingering hamstring strain to Kyrie Irving's season-ending ankle injury and finally Kevin Durant's toe in the line in Game 7 of the 2021 NBA playoffs, even the most anticipated season in Nets' history ended in bitter anguish. 

 The offseason to come was filled with optimism that all three superstars would ink long-term extensions, but only Durant made good on his long-term commitment to the franchise, one he would reneg on not just once, but twice.

Irving's unvaccinated status caused him, fairly or unfairly, to be ineligible for home games and eventually the team refused to let him be a part-time road player. Discontent formed in the locker room with Harden growing impatient without Irving and eventually Durant who was sidelined by a knee sprain suffered a few weeks before the All-Star break. 

 Every step of the way, Durant, Irving and Harden had a chance to take a leadership role to keep the organization on the tracks. All three refused to hold each other accountable, culminating in Harden asking out and getting dealt to Philadelphia centered on a package around a physically and mentally damaged Ben Simmons. Irving eventually rejoined the team in time for a late season push, but with a friend turned foe Ime Udoka leading the hottest team in the NBA, the Boston Celtics, the Nets couldn't simply flip the switch come playoff time.

 The Nets lost four highly competitive games with Simmons in the series sweep, including falling victim to a Jayson Tatum game winner in the opener. Brooklyn was back to the drawing board and now it was Durant who grew disenfranchised with the direction of the team by demanding a trade that summer, only to rescind it a few weeks later. The Nets, with Durant and Irving leading the charge, raced out again to an impressive start to the 2022-23 campaign, but Irving's off the court antics, including promoting a film with anti-Semitic tropes became a breaking point in his relationship with the team. 

 Owner Joe Tsai gave Irving a punch list of tasks to complete to get reinstated by the club, which he ultimately fulfilled and then returned. For the second straight year, Durant suffered another pre-All-Star break MCL sprain and the locker room, led by Irving, unraveled. 

 Only weeks later, Irving, who was set to become a free agent at season's end, held the Nets feet to the fire to offer him a near max contract extension. The two sides were miles apart, leading Irving to requesting a trade and the Nets obliging, sending him to Dallas for a package centered on Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and picks. 

 With his co-star gone, it wasn't long before Durant revisited his trade request and skipped town like the other two thirds of the superteam. It was a tragic story of misfortune, missteps and a lack of leadership. The front office and ownership deserve their share of the blame for the dysfunction, but the trio stars not only gave up on their teammates and the organization, but the fans and each other.

 Irving, Durant and Harden will remain as not only the biggest What-if in Nets history, but in sports history as well.

Former Net launching 3-on-3 Pro Streetball League




"The Big Ticket" will be going box office in 2024 to show off his true entrepreneurial spirit. 

You heard right, a former Net, Timberwolf and Celtic great will be dipping his toe in the proverbial Pro Streetball League waters.

According to CBS Sports, Kevin Garnett has his sights set on creating a 3-on3 basketball league called, Str33t. It will feature men's, women's and co-ed teams competing over 4-weeks.

Garnett's company, Big Ticket Sports, is forming a partnership with Pro League Network to get the venture off the ground.

Str33t is gearing towards a streaming audience with fast-paced games and will play under FIBA 3-on-3 rules. 

The success of rapper Ice Cube's BIG3 has been well documented and it appears Garnett is looking to throw his hat in the ring and be the hottest ticket in the 3-on-3 circuit.

Str33t is set to get underway in 2024 and will be sure to capture basketball fans' imagination, especially those who have been longing for a viable streetball league to watch.

Even since the grassroots And-1 mixtapes, there's been a growing demand for streaming and televised pro streetball to whet hoopheads appetites for nonstop action on the blacktop and Str33t might just satisfy the craving. 

Nets potential trade package for Dame revealed

 


The Brooklyn Nets are atop Damian Lillard's wish list if he moves from Portland this summer.

While Nets nation has mixed emotions about acquiring the 32-year old, seven-time All-Star, a potential trade package has surfaced.

Shams Charania of The Athletic speculates on the framework for a potential deal between Brooklyn and Portland.





As tempting as going big star hunting this offseason would be for the Nets, the better route for the long-term future is to engage Portland for a trade involving the No. 3 overall pick in a package centered on Mikal Bridges. 

Lillard has called Bridges the best small forward in the game and co-starring alongside him in the Pacific Northwest is a perfect pairing.

Brooklyn already went the route of purging future assets for declining superstars and if Sean Marks is playing the long game, acquiring Scoot Henderson at No. 3 overall is his best option on the table.

Bridges recruiting Celtics free agent to join Nets

 


Mikal Bridges hasn't been shy about trying to make Brooklyn a free agent destination, especially after the superstar Exodus that took place the last two years. 

The Nets are big game hunting this offseason as they likely plan to build around Bridges and match any offer for restricted free agent Cam Johnson.

Bridges will be turning 27 and entering the prime of his career. Grant Williams fell out of favor in Boston and head coach Joe Mazzulla buried him on the bench in the Eastern Conference Finals series loss to the Miami Heat.

Brooklyn needs at least two pieces to complete with the heavyweights in the east, but adding a selfless role player like Williams is an under the radar move that will help Brooklyn build a deeper rotation come playoff time.

Lillard lists Nets, Heat as 'obvious' landing spots

 


Damian Lillard is likely on the move this offseason. While all of NBA Twitter speculates on his next destination, Lillard spoke with Showtime about his preferred places to play. 

While the Celtics, Knicks, Heat and Nets have all be rumored to be in on the "Dame Time" Sweepstakes, Lillard set the record straight once and for all. 


It shouldn't come as a shock to Nets or Heat fans, but it definitely confirms prior suspicions that Lillard will be on the move from the Pacific Northwest. Lillard's close relationship with Bam Adebajo in South Beach and Mikal Bridges in Brooklyn will definitely be a factor this summer. 

At the end of the day, the Trailblazers won't simply move Lillard to his preferred destination without getting a haul of picks and young assets for him. Another team to keep an eye on his Philadelphia as James Harden looks to have one foot in the door and one foot moving towards a reunion with Houston as a free agent. 

Should Harden bolt, a package centered on Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and picks might be enough to entice Portland to move their franchise cornerstone. The Sixers will need to scramble to keep Joel Emiid happy and bringing in a costar to potentially replace Harden is a good start.

This will be a very intriguing offseason for the Nets, who are caught in limbo between being a rebuilding team and a true contender. While Lillard can push them toward contending status, he alone won't put them over the top and Sean Marks will need to make additional moves if Brooklyn hopes to rise to the top of the Eastern Conference. 

A Nets trade package for Brown too good to resist

 



If following the Brooklyn Nets has taught us anything, it's that anything is possible. From forming an unprecedented super team to watching it vanish overnight, Nets fans have experienced the highs and lows of NBA free agency and the trade deadline in recent seasons.

Back in the summer of 2022 when Kevin Durant made his first trade request, there were rumored deals of him going to Boston in exchange for a package centered on Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and draft picks.

That deal never came to fruition, due largely to Durant rescinding his request, only to reissue it behind the scenes. This was after Kyrie Irving skipped town by demanding a trade two days before Durant and being shipped to Dallas for Dorian Finney Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie.

 Durant was ultimately packaged with TJ Warren for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first rounders. That deal is looking pretty good for Brooklyn, despite being swept out of the first round of the playoffs. 

Meanwhile, Brown's name has been beaten into the ground in Beantown as Jayson Tatum's costar had a difficult series against Miami including an ugly Game 7 where he shot 8 of 23 and committed a career high 8 turnovers.

Brown is eligible for a supermax extension and is set to become a free agent following the 2023-24 season. The Nets are currently looking to rebuild a contending team and adding Brown is one way to transform the club into a force to be reckoned with in the East.


Now there are a few factors to consider here, chief among them is Brown's willingness to not only leave Boston, but to show a desire to come to Brooklyn to play for Joe Tsai. Brown heavily criticized the Nets owner's handling of Kyrie Irving's suspension in the wake of his promotion of a film with antisemitic tropes. Tsai made Irving compete a five step program for reinstatement. 

Ultimately, Boston would need a haul to move on from Brown and the proposed trade would be at least a conversation starter for Sean Marks and Brad Stevens. While Houston and newly hired coach and former Boston head man Ime Udoka are clearly the front runners to acquire Brown, the Nets could be the dark horse in the race to nab the two-time All-star this summer. 




Two Ex-Nets need to rejoin Brooklyn in FA




 The Brooklyn Nets have turned the page from yet another dysfunctional and disappointing Big three era, but that hasn't stopped Brooklyn fans from keeping tabs on three former Nets'  free agency status. 

Believe it or not, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and DeAngelo Russell are all available to the right suitor.

Harden has been linked to rejoin the Rockets, who hired former Nets assistant and Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. 

 Irving spent the second half of the 2022-23 season with the Dallas Mavericks. While Irving rejoining the Mavericks is a likely scenario, both the Suns and Lakers have been listed a possible destinations for the maestros who orchestrated the destruction of Brooklyn's superstar era. 

Finally, Brooklyn's starting point prior to Irving, Russell enjoyed a superb year in his return to the Lakers for a run to the Western Conference Finals before his production took a major hit at the hands of Nicola Jokic and the Nuggets.

The most likely Nets reunion is Russell as the Nets have a glaring hole at point guard with fans not exactly onboard with Spencer Dinwiddie playing the role as the everyday starter.

Another former Net fan favorite becomes a free agent this summer: Caris LeVert. If Sean Marks were to reassemble the "Good Guy Nets," save Kenny Atkinson and Jarrett Allen, it would create a lot of goodwill with fans.

The front office would need to make some roster maneuvering to make this a reality.

While it's clear neither Irving or Harden would be welcomed to return or have any desire to come back to Brooklyn, bringing back Russell and LeVert may be the answer Marks has been searching for after the Big Three era fell apart at his feet this season. 

 Adding experienced but still ascending pieces around Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, who the team has interest in extending, could make Brooklyn an intriguing team next year.


Is it Time for Nets to bail on the Ben Simmons experiment?

 


Ben Simmons' NBA career isn't over, but his time with the Brooklyn Nets might be just about up.

Fresh off off-season back surgery, Simmons was a shell of his former self in 2022-23. While the former Sixer showed flashes of promise, before his debut season for the Nets gathered virtually any steam, knee and back problems sidelined him for large portions of the season.

Simmons has never been a shooting savant, but his lack of confidence and willingness to attack the paint were clearly evident this past season.

Steve Nash and eventually Jacque Vaughn did little to unlock the All-star talent that is buried somewhere within this broken player.

If the Nets are hoping to be relevant next season, Vaughn and his staff's number one priority has to be tapping into Simmons' psyche and maximum his contributions by getting him mentally and physically right.

The Nets championship window with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has officially closed and ushered in a new youth moment led by Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson who will more than likely re-sign this summer.

Brooklyn has cap flexibility to add a superstar, but they have a former star who has been languishing on the injury report the better part of the last two seasons.

The onus is on Simmons to attack his rehab this summer and for Vaughn's retooled coaching staff to make the point forward whole again. Simmons can be part of the Nets youth movement of the future, but unless he starts showing some strides, Sean Marks may send him out of town for whatever return package he can net come the trade deadline.



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