Inside The Nets

Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson give their insights about why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is hard to defend

The Twins gave insights regarding playing defense against one of the NBA’s best players.

Peter Sunjic

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the toughest NBA players to defend. He has an uncanny ability to score in the paint, even if he’s getting guarded well. As part of the Western Conference team Oklahoma City Thunder, Nets fans only see Shai play against Brooklyn twice a year.

The Nets and Thunder split the season series, with Shai scoring 24 and 35 points, respectively. That performance showcased his consistency, as the Canadian guard averages 31.1 points per game on 54.6% from the field. When asked about SGA’s skill set, Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson had profound answers.

“The main thing that he’s continuing to improve upon is his angles. He’s putting you in jail, and he’s able to attack in positions where you either have to foul him or get out of the way. He understands how to pick and choose these angles,” Cam said about Shai’s offensive versatility.

Shai has one of the deepest bags

Going against Shai is a nightmare for defenders because he always has a move to make. Sometimes, defenders put him in an impossible situation, but he finds a way to break through and score the ball.

SGA is such a good scorer that even an elite defender like Mikal can say he’s arguably the most challenging defensive assignment in the league. The OKC star can always get into the paint with his deadly dribbles or score with a precise mid-range jumper. The 25-year-old’s bag is tough to beat since he always has a unique move to beat his defender.

“He has a lot of counters. He’s got counters to his counters. You don’t want to give him a little pull-up in the paint because he’s going to make it. So if you try to beat him there, he’s gonna counter that, and if you try to beat him there, he has a counter for that, so it’s very difficult,” Mikal continued.

Mikal’s opinion holds weight

As one of the best defenders in the league, Mikal’s opinion of Shai says a lot about the OKC star. Getting the respect of someone of Bridges’ caliber proves that SGA is a top-tier superstar.

Nets fans should be happy that they only face the Thunder twice a year because it will be hard to beat the young squad when Shai scores at an elite level and has teammates who complement him well.

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Peter Sunjic
PETER SUNJIC

Peter's journey with basketball commenced in the first grade, and it has since evolved into an integral part of his life. Standing on the brink of a potential professional playing career, Peter ultimately chose to pursue a degree in Political Science and Journalism in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite this academic pursuit, his deep-rooted love for the game of basketball endured, undiminished. Now, as a writer and editor, Peter finds an avenue to channel his unwavering passion for basketball-related news and analysis. Whether it's deciphering the latest happenings or delving into the lore of old-school basketball, he covers every corner of the NBA world.

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