re: Mikal Bridges developing into a true #1 option

quote:

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It's really an interesting question. Is it better to be the 30th best primary option, or the 10th best secondary option/role player?

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I like the question, but Bridges is not the 10th best secondary role player either, b/c he isn't a secondary player period. He's a third.

We can complain about BI being the #1 option all we want, but it doesn't matter who's on this team, some guard will always be the #1 option until Zion learns how to shoot. If Zion can't get to the goal, then he literally cannot get a shot off (he can, he just refuses to). There is nothign a defender can do to prevent BI from getting a shot off. It might not be a great shot, or even a good shot, but he'll always be able to get a shot off.

We can always look at Giannis offensively and how he played with Middleton.

This is their clutch stats from their championship team in '21
PPG
Middleton 4.8
Giannis 3.7
Jrue 1.8

FGA
Middleton 3.7 (33 total)
Giannis 2.4 (22 total)
Jrue 1.7 (15 total)

USG%
Middleton 36.7%
Giannis 29.4%
Jrue 15.6%

Percentage of Points from Mid-Range
Middleton 37.2%
Giannis 6.1%
Jrue 12.5%

Percentage of Points from 3P-Range
Middleton 20.9%
Giannis 0%
Jrue 37.5%

Percentage of Points in the Paint
Middleton 18.6%
Giannis 72.7%
Jrue 37.5%

Percentage of Points from FT
Middleton 23.3%
Giannis 21.2%
Jrue 12.5%

Percentage of FGM assisted on
Middleton 40%
Giannis 53.8%
Jrue 0% (All of Jrue's made shots in the clutch were unassisted. That was 9 games where the clutch stats were compiled, not one FGM was assisted)

Middleton shot 45.5% from the field in the clutch for those playoffs, and 30% from 3.




So you would all agree that Middleton was the #1 option for the Bucks when the won the championship, right?
Think about how this team and it's future with BI/Zion is similar with that team?
Zion can still be the leading scorer and still get the ball late in games, but until he can hit a mid range shot, or a 3, someone who can is going to have to do that in order for us to advance in the playoffs.