It took awhile, but Mikal Bridges showed signs of breaking out of his weeks-long funk.
The fact that he did so with Cam Thomas also having a strong game bodes well for Brooklyn.
Bridges had 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in Sunday’s blowout win in Cleveland. He shot 9 of 14 overall and 5 of 8 from behind the 3-point arc while Thomas went for 29.
“[I’ve] got to be better on both ends through more efficient, guard, rebound. Do everything. So just keep going, get ready for the next one, do the same thing,” said Bridges, whom interim coach Kevin Ollie said has got back to his high-motor self.
“It’s the energy that should not ever waver. If shots [are] going in or shots [are] not going in and shots may be going in, that should never waver, his energy,” Ollie said. “He’s too good a defensive player for that to waver.”
Bridges had came into Sunday averaging just 15.9 points on 37.1/30.3/68.6 shooting splits over his prior 11 games.
“It was good for Mikal, too, to see some shots go in, and coming off the curl, playing off [Thomas], just taking the pressure off himself and stepping up,” Ollie said. “He puts so much work in, so I know those seeds that he’s planted are going to bloom and blossom at some point.
“He’s meticulous in his work, and it’s going to show. And struggle is part of it and he’s just gonna grow through it if he doesn’t stop in the middle. And he didn’t stop in the middle [Sunday]: He finished it to the end.”
Sunday was the first time all season two Nets players had 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in the same game.
It’s likely no coincidence that Thomas — who has become more of a secondary playmaker lately alongside starting point guard Dennis Schroder — actively looked to get Bridges going early.
Seconds into the game, Thomas stole the ball from Darius Garland and found Bridges for a 20-footer that set the tone.
“We’ve got to make it a little easier for him, me and [Dennis Smith Jr.]. But when he just runs the floor, cutting, shooting, of course pick-and-rolls,” Schroder said. “He started off playing great defense and it helped him on the offensive end.”
Cam Johnson has missed the past three games with a sprained ankle suffered March 5. The Nets are slated to practice on Tuesday with his status up in the air, then depart for Wednesday’s tilt in Orlando.
Brooklyn is halfway through a season-long stretch of six straight away from home.
The Nets are 3 ½ games behind Atlanta for the last play-in spot with 17 left on their regular-season slate. Both teams are idle Tuesday, with the Hawks at Portland on Wednesday. Saddiq Bey suffered a season-ending torn ACL.