Fans of the Philadelphia 76ers are very familiar with Phoenix Suns guard Mikal Bridges. Not only did he attend nearby Villanova, but he was also selected by the Sixers in 2018 before being moved to the Suns in the deal to get Zhaire Smith to Philadelphia.
Bridges has since turned into one of the top 3-and-D players in the NBA and he has made a name for himself that way. In Philadelphia’s 114-104 loss to the Suns, Bridges made a lot of plays all over the floor on defense to help Phoenix win the game.
Bridges bothered both James Harden (2-for-11 shooting) and Tyrese Maxey (7-for-21) into some tough nights offensively and that was a big reason why Phoenix came away with a win.
“He’s tough,” said coach Doc Rivers. “He’s probably a very stubborn kid, would be my guess. That’s what most defenders are. Extremely high basketball IQ and he’s long. He’s got length and most of the great defenders all have length.”
Bridges also added 11 points on the offensive end for the Suns. Combine that with his effort on the defensive end and he has become a terrific all-around player.
“He’s just solid,” Harden added. “Solid. Long. Athletic.”
The Sixers will now look to bounce back against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks at home on Tuesday.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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