Fortunately for the Suns and Bridges, there are a few steps both team and player can take to fix Mikal’s scoring.
Mikal needs to attack the basket with the ball consistently
Traditionally, Bridges does not have the ball in the kind of positions where he will be able to earn a lot of trips to the free-throw line, but that is changing. Scorers who are struggling know the easiest way to break their duck is to get an easy bucket; there is no easier bucket in basketball than a free throw. Fortunately, this is something Bridges is already noticing and trying to do.
Mikal averages less than three free-throw attempts per game on the season; however, three times since mid-December, Bridges has attempted at least seven shots from the charity stripe. Even better, those are not wasted efforts, as Bridges is an excellent free throw shooter who has hit more than 80% in his career and nearly 90% this season.
If his shot is not falling, and it certainly has not been, free throws can make a difference, as his 10/10 showing did in helping keep the Suns close to the Miami Heat this past Friday.