Why winning over the Magic was important for Mikal Bridges

“I was ready to play, didn't like that loss against Charlotte. Also didn't want them to make history on our court,” Mikal said in his post-game presser after beating the Magic.

Bridges wanted the team to realize the mistakes

The Nets benefit from having a standout player like Bridges, who identifies issues within the team and signals the need for change. Their lack of urgency in the game against Charlotte was an issue he addressed after the game and he made his game do the talking against the Magic.

In just the first quarter, he already had 26 points, managing to outscore the entire Orlando team by four points. That was a loud statement for the rest of the team to follow his lead.

Thankfully, that massive first quarter gave them the cushion they needed to cruise to the win. While Mikal can’t have that kind of performance every game, he cemented that he wants to be one of the Nets’ best players who can also lead them to big wins.

Bridges wanted to get rid of the frustration about the “slow start”

Despite initial criticism suggesting a slow start, the Villanova product has been exceptional early in the season. His temporary scoring dip made way for Cameron Thomas to emerge as another leading scorer, and thus make the team a lot more competitive.

Persistently pushing forward, the Nets' wing has evolved into a versatile offensive player. Post the Magic game, he maintains an average of 22.8 points per game—slightly lower than his second-half averages in the 2022/23 season.

Now, Mikal wants to keep this momentum going and help the Nets win more games and make the Playoffs by the end of the season.