'Iron Man' Mikal Bridges X-factor for Phoenix Suns in NBA playoffs

Devin Booker and Chris Paul were just minutes removed from seeing Mikal Bridges put the clamps on Donovan Mitchell in the fourth quarter of last week’s comeback win at Utah.

The Jazz All-Star shot 0-for-6 from the field in the fourth as Bridges, with his quicks, wits, athleticism and insane 7-1 wingspan, shut down Mitchell.

That led to a back-and-forth between Booker and Paul that started serious, had a splash of humor and ended in total agreement.

Booker: “He's somebody I wouldn't want guarding me. I'll tell you that."

Paul: "I don't agree with Book. I don't really care if he guard me. I ain't worried about Mikal."

Booker: "I am. More than the other candidates."

Paul: "Oh for sho'."

Bridges is almost a lock to make NBA All-Defensive first team this year.

He may finish in the top three voting for Defensive Player of the Year — if not win the award.

Bridges got NBA TV analyst Greg Anthony’s media vote and if fellow NBA TV analyst Stan Van Gundy had one, Bridges would’ve been his top choice, too.

“I saw him consistently take on the best player on the other team,” Van Gundy said. “He’s one of my favorite players in the league.”

While he’s certainly earned the distinction of being one of league’s top defensive players, Bridges has become a more complete player in his fourth season.

More versatile scorer. More aggressive.

Played more total minutes than anyone in the NBA this season.

So while Paul and Booker are their two best players, Bridges is the X-factor for the Phoenix Suns going into the playoffs.

“Mikal has developed from a young player to a really good 3-and-D guy to now a really good all-around player who is pushing at All-Star, soon,” Suns coach Monty Williams said.

Phoenix opens Game 1 of the first round Sunday at Footprint Center with a player who will have to guard the opponent’s top offensive perimeter player, serve as an elevated scoring option who makes defenses pay for blitzing Booker or Paul and play a ton of minutes.

“His consistency,” Suns center Deandre Ayton said. “It’s shown on paper, in person. Mikal is just a great student of the game.”

Bridges still hasn’t missed a game (309 regular season, 22 postseason) in his NBA career.

“It’s so many words you can use to describe him, but Mikal is just a good, hard-nosed — he’s a true NBA professional player,” Ayton added.

While Bridges certainly has a fun side that comes out during the Suns pregame circle or when dancing with Ayton to NBA YoungBoy before tip, he has a professionalism that is unmatched.

“I try to get here (at the team’s practice facility) early and he’s already here eating breakfast,” Suns backup big JaVale McGee said. “It’s like, ‘Damn, I’m trying to get here earlier than you.’”

That’s why Williams can jokingly say he doesn’t want Bridges knowing Van Gundy also picked him as third-team All-NBA because “his head is getting big enough as it is.”

Williams knows how hard Bridges has worked to become the player he is.

“That’s just my way of needling him, but that young man is one of the hardest working guys I’ve ever seen in my life,” Williams said. “I’ve been around for a minute. I can’t say who is No. 1, but I know he’s at the top of the list.”

Bridges went into this season having agreed to rookie contract extension of four years, $90 million.

That alone raises expectations and can add pressure.

The 2018 lottery pick approached the season as he always has.

“I just knew that I had to get better,” Bridges said. “Just keep getting better. Personally, I just want to keep getting better every year. That was just really my mindset. Just to keep improving step-by-step.”

Bridges has done that on both ends with his defense reaching a level that has Anthony comparing him to Hall of Famer and six-time NBA champion, Scottie Pippen

“He’s a terrific on-ball defender and a disruptor, but he’s also a great help defender,” Anthony said. “He’s a great weakside defender. He can also give you the deflections and the rim protection. He’s a complete defensive player. He’s a guy you just put on the floor and your defense gets better.”

Anthony said he values a defender like the 6-6 Bridges even more because the game is played so much more “outside the paint” than ever and players must guard more in space.

Van Gundy chose Bridges for DPOY with Celtics center Robert Williams III a very close second.

Boston finished the regular season first in the NBA in defensive rating while Phoenix ranked third.

“All the other guys that I considered were basically big guys,” Van Gundy said. “Besides Robert Williams III, Jarrett Allen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and (Rudy) Gobert were all bigs, but that’s how good I thought Mikal Bridges was on the perimeter.”

As special as he is defensively, Bridges is evolving on the offensive end.

“Just being more aggressive, being confident,” Booker said. “Calling for the ball. Those are all things you really need. You see his early seals in transition. His midrange. He usually has a small defender on him, and he shoots right over him. You hear a lot about his defense, but he doesn’t get enough credit for what type of scorer and playmaker he is.”

Bridges has always been able to finish on the break.

Averaging at career-high 14.4 points a game this season, Bridges has a nearly unguardable pull-up jumper off the bounce that’s been in the works for two seasons.

He attacks the rim more, takes on contact and draws fouls.

The rangy wing averaged just 1.9 free throw attempts in the regular season, but he had seven games since March 4 in which he’s attempted at least four.

During this stretch, Bridges scored a season-high 27 points in an overtime win March 20 at Sacramento as he matched his career high in free throws made (7) and attempted (8).

That’s growth, but when asked if Bridges has always had all of that in his game, like Williams, Booker had jokes.

“I saw him develop,” Booker said. “He didn’t have none of that (stuff).”

Just kidding.

“He’s getting better,” Booker continued. “That’s the NBA. Year to year, you find things that work. What is he in, Year 4 now?”

Correct.

“You just pick things up and you learn,” Booker added. “I wouldn’t say it gets easier as you go, but experience is the best teacher.”

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Iron Man' Mikal Bridges X-factor for Suns in NBA playoffs