Mikal Bridges drops career-high 45 points as Nets beat Heat

Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges is now tasked with being the No. 1 scoring option for the first time in his young NBA career.

Bridges, 26, was one of the central pieces that headed to Brooklyn from the Phoenix Suns in last week’s Kevin Durant blockbuster trade.

He had struggled in this role through two games, averaging a mere 15.0 points on 39% shooting from the field.

You would not know that by watching Bridges play against the Miami Heat Wednesday evening. The former Villanova star was absolutely on one as Brooklyn took down the Heat at home by the score of 116-105.

The forward dropped a career-high 45 points on 17-of-24 shooting. That included 4-of-6 from distance. Bridges also added eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks while finishing plus-17 in 36 minutes of action.

He was tremendous off the dribble in addition to hitting the perimeter shot.