Mikal Bridges' Quest for Shooting Consistency: A Deep Dive into His Preseason Form
Mikal Bridges, the talented forward now with the New York Knicks, is well-known in the NBA for his shooting prowess from beyond the arc. Over the course of his career, Bridges has maintained a commendable 37.5% average from three-point range, marking him as a reliable perimeter threat. However, as the preseason games unfold, there seem to be a few unexpected bumps in his usual shooting rhythm.
The recent preseason match against the Washington Wizards was a challenging one for Bridges, as he missed all ten of his three-point attempts. This game forms part of a broader pattern in the preseason, where his overall performance saw him score just 2 out of 19 from three-point territory over four games. Such stats could be seen as an anomaly for someone who has never dipped below a 36.1% three-point shooting percentage in any regular NBA season.
Any decline in Bridges' efficiency is worth examining, especially given his performance last year with the Brooklyn Nets. There, he consistently demonstrated his capabilities by shooting 37.2% from three-point land on 7.2 attempts per game. Particularly in the catch-and-shoot scenarios, Bridges ranked seventh in the entire league, with an impressive 38.4% conversion rate on 5.6 attempts per game.
It seems the preseason might have exposed some lingering mechanical challenges in Bridges' form—issues that have reportedly been a part of his shooting journey since his collegiate days. Bridges himself provides insight into these ongoing adjustments: "Ever since I got into the league, been trying to fix it back to when I was in college, so it's been seven years of just every day," explains Bridges. His transparency in discussing the subtle tweaks to his form reveals the persistent effort he invests in refining his technique.
Bridges elaborates on a particular aspect of his shooting form that has seen continuous evolution over time. "When I came out of college, I kind of tweaked it a little bit. And then my second year in the league, I had the hitch, and tried to build back from that ever since. So just trying to get it right. Pretty much it." This personal recounting illustrates the challenges that professional athletes face when making technical adjustments under the scrutiny of the public eye.
Despite the current preseason dip, it’s crucial to recognize this period as an experimental phase for many athletes, including Bridges. Similar to others, he uses this time to test out different techniques and strategies to fine-tune his performance before the high-stakes regular season. The Knicks, who acquired Bridges during the offseason by trading five first-round picks, are banking on his ability to overcome these preseason hurdles and bring his usual sharpshooting capabilities to the regular season.
In conclusion, while Bridges’ current shooting stats might cause some concern, they also present an opportunity. By revisiting and refining the aspects of his form that have troubled him since college, he could potentially unlock a new level of consistency and reliability. As the regular season approaches, it will be intriguing to watch whether Bridges manages to put these preseason struggles behind him and reestablish himself as a formidable force from the perimeter. For Knicks fans and NBA aficionados alike, Bridges' journey to reinvigorate his shooting accuracy remains an intriguing narrative in the broader tapestry of the upcoming basketball season.