It’s no secret at this point. Mikal Bridges is an elite defender.
He has taken on the opponent’s top perimeter scoring option night in, night out and excelled at making them uncomfortable and disrupting their flow throughout the game. This was a common theme throughout the regular season, but during the Bubble it was amplified when he took on the likes of Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard, T.J. Warren, Jayson Tatum (scrimmage), and many others during their magical 8-0 run in Orlando. What came with the winning? Recognition.
The good news is, there should be plenty more of that this season and if the Suns defense is as stout as they have a chance to be, it’s a very real possibility that Mikal Bridges will solidify himself as a top 15 defensive talent in the NBA.