Mikal Bridges

Mikal Bridges totaled 44 points (13-22 FG, 6-9 3PT, 12-12 FT), six rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal in the Nets’ 119-106 loss to the Magic.

Fantasy Impact

Bridges scored 44.0 points in the Nets' loss to the Magic, putting together his best scoring effort since February 15th against the Heat, where he scored 45.0 points. This month he has averaged a season-high 28.0 points per game and continues to develop in his new role as the premier talent of this rebuilding Nets team. He has proven that his scoring ability is more than a fleeting trend and has positioned himself as a viable fantasy asset in all formats. However, his value could be strongly tied to his scoring, which could considerably hinder the return on investment you can expect from rostering him. Despite this aspect of Bridges' game, he is a unique play anytime the Nets are on the slate, given his role, the state of the team, and talent; as long as his price is reasonable, he should be a must-consider add in all formats. He will look to continue his excellent play against the Rockets, which could be an intriguing opportunity to consider this growing star.

Mikal Bridges totaled 34 points (13-24 FG, 4-8 3PT, 4-6 FT), six rebounds, and one assist in the Nets’ 124-123 win over the Timberwolves.

Fantasy Impact

Bridges continued to score in the Nets' win over the Timberwolves, putting together his fourth thirty-point game in March. Had he played a full game against the Bucks, this might have very well been his fifth consecutive contest accomplishing this feat. This has arguably been a phenomenal coming-out party for Bridges, who has always shown promise and glimpses of brilliance as a utility player throughout his career but has not always been leveraged in a way that allowed him to build a bold independent identity. Since joining the Nets, he has dominated offensively, giving new context to his well-known two-way player talents. It is interesting to see the almost instant change in his player profile, as some could say it is cut from the same cloth as his previous teammate Devin Booker. In any case, he has shown in a short time that this could become something special in the long haul. For now, he seems much of an offensive specialist, making his value really score-dependent, which isn't always ideal fantasy-wise. However, he is playing at a level right now that makes it difficult to argue against his production. His price-point is pricey and certainly comes with some risk, especially if he doesn't get those six rebounds, but could be worth it no matter the slate size or its composition given his role and the versatility of his talent, as well as the team's confidence in him. All these things can create the makings of a good fantasy night if you are bold enough to make the call.

Mikal Bridges totaled 33 points (12-21 FG, 2-4 3PT, 7-8 FT), eight rebounds, two assists, and one block in the Nets’ 102-86 in win over the Hornets.

Fantasy Impact

Bridges scored 33.0 points in the Nets' win over the Hornets, making it his third time achieving this feat out of his previous five games. Bridges has been spectacular in his short time with the Nets, and there are no signs of that changing soon. His jump from above-average complementary player to borderline star has gone smoothly thus far and could only be the beginning of what we can expect from Bridges moving forward. Like everyone, there are times when his production can be less than stellar; however, his volume, talent, and tendency to get out of slumps quickly create a stable floor of production. Bridges will be expensive given his play, which is warranted. However, the state of the team and lack of options could become a liability that could cap his production should teams double down and start to game plan for him specifically. Giving this streak of good fortune a little time to breathe before crowning Bridges as a set-it-and-forget-it play could be a good idea. All in all, he is a strong fantasy asset who carries enough question marks to steer others away, which could make him an intriguing differentiating play, especially on large slates.

Mikal Bridges totaled 31 points (11-19 FG, 3-7 3PT, 6-7 FT), two rebounds, five assists, and two steals in the Nets’ 118-104 loss to the Bucks on Tuesday.

Fantasy Impact

Bridges dropped 31.0 points in the Nets' loss to the Bucks, continuing to cement his dominant offensive role on a production-starved ball club. Since joining the Nets, he has averaged 33.4 minutes of playing time, 23.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the floor and 46.9 percent from beyond the arc. Bridges, outside of assists, has improved or maintained his production in every performance category of the stat-sheet since joining the Nets. He could be in a great position to continue that trend. Bridges' situation in Brooklyn is seemingly the first time in his career that he has been the main driver of the team's production on both sides of the ball, which is scary to think as one could hypothesize that he could substantially increase his value and output as the team continues to put the pieces together. Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Cameron Johnson are settling in as the three foundational pieces of the rotation. They should be able to further cement their chemistry, especially with the lax expectations for the team right now. This chemistry could lead to Bridges maintaining his role even when more pieces are being added to the roster. This second-half of the season could be the coming out of a talented player; although there will still be growing pains, the opportunity to produce value is there for the taking. If Bridges buys into the vision and can galvanize the team in some capacity while getting comfortable in his role, he could find himself in must-start territory night-in and night-out.

Mikal Bridges totaled 24 points (8-16 FG, 2-6 3PT, 6-6 FT), five rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals in the Nets’ 129--127 loss to the Hawks on Sunday.

Fantasy Impact

Bridges stuffed the stat-sheet in the Nets’ loss to the Hawks, putting together a strong rebound performance highlighted by 24.0 points, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks. This outing was much better than his performance against the Bulls this past Friday and provided what could be an accurate picture of what we can come to expect from Bridges for the rest of the year. He could be on the brink of an impactful run of game performances that should attract investors looking for a cost-effective asset with a promising upside. Although his 45.0 point outing shows a glimpse of what Bridges is capable of, it may take some time before he can tap into that level of value consistently. His talent and being on a team continually seeking play-makers should see Bridges continue to take advantage of opportunities to demonstrate his potential, hopefully making a path towards must-start status.