Phoenix Suns should involve Mikal Bridges more on offense

After early season struggles, Mikal Bridges has recovered and should become a more important part of the Phoenix Suns’ offense going forward.

Not long ago many people, myself included, were ready to hit the panic button on Mikal Bridges‘ 3-point shot. Following a rookie year for the Phoenix Suns in which he shot a little below what was expected of him from deep, he started off this season even worse.

This was all coupled with Bridges debuting a revamped shooting form that appeared slow and was different from the one in college that made him a top ten pick.

In the months of October and November, Bridges shot a combined 6 for 28 from deep, or 22%, which is not what you want from your 3-and-D wing. However, in the month of December, Bridges went 11 for 27 in the 14 games played.

While the sample size is not huge, it is still clear Bridges has made some necessary adjustments with his new form and after getting used to it, his shot is starting to fall. This means that it is time to start utilizing him more often on offense, with open 3s, cuts to the rim, and allowing him to make smart passes.

One staggering improvement in Bridges game, which can be attributed to Ricky Rubio, is the amount of dunks that Bridges is getting this season. Bridges already has 21 dunks this year compared to only 25 all of last season. This is because Rubio is great at finding him on cuts, but also because Bridges has been finishing stronger and looking for more opportunities.

When it comes to knowledge of where to be and what to do on the court, Bridges would be right up there with Rubio at the top of the list. This is evident in his mistake-free style of play on offense, where he typically finishes a game with more steals than turnovers, and his elite positioning on defense.

A player that smart, coupled with Bridges’ physical intangibles, should be a useful player on offense, if used correctly. Allowing Bridges to make more decisions on his own, both with and without the ball, will allow him to make more of an impact on the offensive end.

Defense is what will always keep Bridges on the court, but continuing to build on the adjustments made recently is how to unlock his full potential offensively.