Rookies Bridges, Okobo improving
Past four games have been bonanza for duo
Deandre Ayton is the Suns’ prized rookie 7-footer and No. 1 overall pick, but two other Phoenix rookies have been playing at a career-high level lately.
Mikal Bridges posted his first 20-point game while Elie Okobo reached double figures in assists for the first time in Saturday’s loss to the Hawks.
Then, against the Rockets on Monday, Bridges and Okobo both came back down to Earth. Bridges managed seven points with five assists, four rebounds and three steals. Okobo, who started at point guard, finished with just two points with three assists and four turnovers.
It‘s an ebb and flow of growth for rookies in the NBA, but both players have been demonstrating more improvement as of late.
Over the last four games, Bridges has averaged 15 points per game, while connecting on 12-of-24 shots from 3-point range.
“Just being in the gym more, working on my game a little bit more,” Bridges said. “Staying confident. That’s the biggest thing and playing the way I usually play.”
Bridges has also had 11 steals over his last four games.
“Mikal cares about the game of basketball, he cares about his team,” Suns coach Igor Kokoskov said. “He’s working on his game all the time. I’m not surprised he’s getting better and he’s showing huge improvement. He’s a two-way player.”
The team’s best player — Devin Booker — said early in the season he likes playing with the first-round pick out of Villanova.
Bridges’ recent play has Booker even happier to share the floor with him.
“He’ll do anything that he can on the court to stay on the court,” Booker said. “I’ll always say ever since day one, coming from a good system in college, he knows how to win. He knows how to sacrifice to win and be a part of something special. I think he has all the intangibles to get better each and every game.”
Averaging eight points a game, Bridges won’t be joining Ayton in the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star weekend. They would’ve been on opposite teams as Ayton will represent the World Team, but those who know Bridges could see him playing in the bigger Sunday game someday.
“I think Mikal hasn’t even scratched what he can be,” said Hawks rookie Omari Spellman, who played with Bridges on the 2018 national championship team.
“I think he’s playing well. Obviously, doing the things everyone knows he can do. Be a monster defensively. Get out in transition. Shoot the ball. I think he has so many more gears. I think he’s going to be so much better. He’s going to be a lot better. I think he can be an All-Star in the league.”
As for Okobo, he’s taken advantage his opportunities.
The rookie point guard has had 23 assists to eight turnovers in the five games he’s started for De’Anthony Melton, who hasn’t played since spraining his right ankle against Portland.
He established a career-high 11 assists against the Hawks — and didn’t turn the ball over in 31 minutes.
“I feel more comfortable, first of all,” Okobo said. “I think that helps me out a lot and I learn my teammates every single day. I practice with them. So I know where they’re good, where they want the ball and I just keep talking to them on the bench, on the court during the game and it helps me out a lot. They’re just helping me.”
Rookies tend to lose their confidence at times during the grind of an 82-game NBA season. But Okobo and Bridges have it right now, and that’s evident in how they’re playing.
“It’s our hope and our wish is for those guys to get better every game,” Kokoskov said. “Every opportunity they have, don’t take it for granted and maximize it.”
Melton is expected to be out through at least the All-Star break. So Okobo’s playing time should continue to rise. He’s averaged 24.3 minutes per game over the last five games after averaging 20 minutes or fewer during the first half of the season.
Okobo has shown a tendency to dribble the air out of the ball, thus allowing the defense to defend their cuts and movement. Against Atlanta, he made more decisive decisions to dissect Atlanta’s defense.
Booker was a primary beneficiary of Okobo’s stronger play.
The Suns star scored 14 of his teamhigh 32 points againts the Hawks off of five Okobo assists as the rookie point guard found Booker for all four of his 3point makes.
“Have another guy who is willing to break the paint and to get in the lane and make the right pass,” Kokoskov said. “With Book, we call it a ‘blender,’ there were a couple of times he broke the paint and find Book for a wide open 3.”
Booker is shooting a career-low 32.4 percent from 3 after hitting a career-best 38.3 percent last season.
Part of that is Booker forcing the 3ball, but he also hasn’t had as many catch-and-shoot attempts.
Okobo found Booker for those and it led to easier shots — and scores — for the defending NBA All-Star Weekend 3-point champion.
Booker finished with eight assists against the Hawks. It’s contagious.
“That’s the way the game of basketball goes,” Kokoskov said. “You make a play for somebody else and somebody makes a play for you.”
Booker played point guard for a stretch before the Suns moved him back to his natural shooting guard position and let Melton, Okobo or Jamal Crawford run the offense.
Teams will still trap Booker when he has it up top, though.
So Okobo has relieved some of that stress from Booker by handling the ball and has lately found him for shots, too.
“When he has an open shot, there’s a good chance the ball is going to go in,” Okobo said. “He was happy about that. I just try to keep being aggressive to attack the rim. Maybe the help is coming to me and I’m trying to find Devin, Mikal, Kelly (Oubre Jr.), all the shooters.”
Okobo’s communication has extended beyond Booker to the rest of his teammates to better figure out where they want the ball.
WEDNESDAY’S GAME Suns at Utah Jazz
7 p.m.