Mikal Bridges hit an impressive milestone Tuesday night.
The Nets’ ironman played his 500th consecutive game in the team’s 104-91 loss to the Pelicans at Barclays Center, the longest active streak in the NBA.
Bridges has yet to miss a game since debuting for the Suns in 2018-19.
“Nobody sees the practices that he doesn’t sit out,” head coach Kevin Ollie said. “Everybody focuses on the game, but he’s there in practice and his workouts and doing his things that he does in the dark when nobody is looking, is more impressive to me than just the games. He’s never absent to anything, he’s always present. Great accomplishment for him. I know it’s a huge accomplishment for him, huge accomplishment for the organization — 500 is big time.”
Bridges also played with Team USA in last summer’s FIBA World Cup, and concerns have emerged that he’s growing increasingly fatigued down the stretch of this season.
His scoring and shooting efficiency have both waned in recent weeks.
He played 32 minutes Tuesday but struggled again.
He finished with 15 points on a poor 4-for-11 shooting night.
Have the Nets considered restricting his minutes?
“We always sit down with our medical team,” Ollie said. “We think about what’s best for the organization, what’s best for the players. … We’re all talking about that. We’re gonna make the best decision for Mikal, and the best decision for our organization, if something ever arises like that. We’re gonna support him, we’re gonna be out there for him, we want him to continue to shoot.”
Bridges is still a ways away from catching A.C. Green’s all-time record of 1,192 consecutive games played.
Day’Ron Sharpe recorded a career-high 17 rebounds Tuesday, but he only saw his shortcomings.
“I look at it more, I was 4-for-11 [shooting from the field],” Sharpe said. “I’m shooting layups, I gotta finish better around the rim. And don’t turn the ball over, either.”
Barclays Center is set to look dramatically different.
BSE Global announced Barclays Center will get renovations of the suites.
Led by the architecture company Populous, Barclays Center will completely revamp its Suite Level B, replacing 30 existing suits with two sprawling and lavish suites dubbed The Row and The Key.
Membership to both clubs includes access to all Nets and Liberty games.
Construction is expected to be completed before the Nets begin their 2024-25 season.