Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton finish 4th and 5th in Most Improved balloting

Mikal Bridges and Nic Claxton, two of the Nets young core, got a measure of recognition Monday night, finish fourth and fifth respectively in the Most Improved Player balloting for 2022-23.

The award was won by Lauri Markkanen of the Jazz who basically ran away with the award, beating out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder and Jalen Brunson of the Knicks.

Bridges, 26, and Claxton, 24, are the first Nets to finish that high in MIP voting since D’Angelo Russell finished second in 2018-19. Bridges got one first place vote, one of six players to do so.