Nets’ Dennis Schroder discusses making life easier for Mikal Bridges
The Brooklyn Nets have been intentional of trying to find the next guy to lead the franchise ever since Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were traded at last season’s deadline. Since then, Brooklyn has been evaluating what they have in guys like Mikal Bridges, a player that seemingly the entire NBA would love to have on their team.
The Nets, with a big performance from Bridges as one of the main reasons, were able to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday 120-101. After having a rough go of it following the All-Star break, Bridges bounced back in a big way at Cleveland as he put up 25 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
What has been clear this season is that Bridges can be a guy who scores 40 points in a game if the matchup is there, but what makes him one of the more coveted players in the league is his ability to do other things on the floor too. Thursday showed that Bridges can flourish when he has players around him who can handle other aspects of the game so that he can find his rhythm.
Dennis Schroder, one of the players acquired by Brooklyn at this season’s trade deadline, has been one of the guys that makes it easier for Bridges to have the kind of impact on the game that everyone is familiar with. Schroder, after putting up his own good stat line of 17 points, eight assists, and two steals, spoke on what he, and the rest of the team, can do to make things easier for Bridges:
“You (the team) don’t have to put so much pressure on him (Bridges) on the offensive end. I think we got to make it a little easier for him as well. Of course me and June (Dennis Smith Jr.), but I think when he (Bridges) just runs the floor, cutting, his shooting, of course pick-and-rolls. But, it starts for everybody on the defensive end and I think today he started off playing great defense and we helped him on the offensive end as well.”
