Inside The Nets

Cam Johnson encourages Mikal Bridges amidst shooting slump

Mikal Bridges has struggled to score recently, but Cam Johnson has his back.

Marin Gabric

© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Over the past six games, Mikal Bridges has struggled with shooting the ball. He's averaging 16.3 points per game during that stretch, as his efficiency has fallen to only 31.9%. This is not what people expect from Mikal because he's normally an efficient scorer. This slump has hurt the Nets in generating consistent offense outside of Cameron Thomas.

Every player goes through a few bad games, and the Brooklyn team knows that. Bridges' close friend and longtime teammate Cameron Johnson has encouraged his fellow "Twin." The 6'8" wing wants Mikal to keep shooting because he will recalibrate soon.

"Keep shooting, and don't listen to other people. That's it. People say all types of stuff, don't listen to them," Johnson responded to the media after being asked about Bridges' struggles. "Focus on what you do and believe in yourself. At the end of the day, it's gonna come back around."

Cam sets an example for Mikal

Cam has been a bit inconsistent this season as a shooter, which was evident in his performance against the Utah Jazz in a recent game. He only scored seven points in that game, making two shots out of nine attempts.

The UNC product bounced back against the New York Knicks with his 20-point performance, shooting 57.1% from the field. Johnson did not hold his head down as he kept shooting when the opportunity presented itself.

Mikal will not be shy about shooting, as he's the go-to guy for the Nets alongside Thomas. He will just need to regain his rhythm, and the Nets will have a better offense. 

The Nets just have to weather the storm

This is a tough stretch for the Nets as they continue to lose because they lack the offensive firepower. They are due for a huge bounce-back performance, especially with injured players like Dennis Smith Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV will give them a boost.

Brooklyn fans will find it hard to be optimistic amidst a losing streak, but the players are not too worried about their predicament. They are as frustrated as the fans, and the Villanova product will likely come back with a bang in their next few games.

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Marin Gabric
MARIN GABRIC

Marin's love for writing developed in high school but was furthered in college when he took a number of creative writing courses. Doing sports writing felt like an extremely natural continuation, as it furthered his passions in both writing and basketball.  Marin loves the feeling of looking at stats after a game and analyzing what each team could've done better or what they excel in compared to the rest of the league. And the ability to do so for his favorite team, the Brooklyn Nets, is quite special in itself. 

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