Nets forward Mikal Bridges reached another milestone in his Iron Man quest on Tuesday, as he played in his 500th consecutive game — regular season and playoffs — against the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center.
Bridges will have a chance to surpass Derek Fisher’s streak of 537 consecutive games played at some point next season, assuming he stays healthy, and could come close to John Stockton’s streak of 609 consecutive games played as well if the Nets make the playoffs in 2024-25.
But Bridges still has ways to go before he can even think about passing three-time NBA champion A.C. Green, who is the league’s all-time Iron Man with 1,192 consecutive games played from 1986-01.
“Nobody sees the practices that he doesn’t sit out,” interim head coach Kevin Ollie said of Bridges. “Everybody’s focused on the games, but he’s there at practice, in his workouts, and doing the things he does in the dark when nobody’s looking is more impressive to me than just a game.”
Bridges’ regular-season games played streak (461 games) is currently more than double the next-longest active streak. Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes is currently at 206 consecutive games played.
The 27-year-old also played in all 116 games during his college career at Villanova before entering the NBA.
“He’s always present,” Ollie said. “So, great accomplishment for him. I know it’s a huge accomplishment for him and also a huge accomplishment for the organization. But 500 is big time, and we’re just going to continue to support him as he’s on his journey.”
SCHRODER’S VOICE
Dennis Schröder has proven to be a godsend for the Nets since being acquired at the trade deadline, especially with Ben Simmons being shut down for the season last week.
While Brooklyn has struggled to stay in the win column, Schröder has certainly done his part — and then some — as he has averaged an impressive 17.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game over his last 10 appearances entering Tuesday’s game.
Schröder’s clutch 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation in Sunday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs sent the game to overtime.
However, beyond his on-court production, Schröder has quickly established a leadership role in Brooklyn despite being one of the newest faces in the locker room. Ollie explained Schröder’s impact in that regard ahead of Tuesday’s game.
“Dennis did that when he first got here, which is amazing,” Ollie said. “Just challenging players [from] his first practice, his first game… It was just great to see someone that engaged as a point guard, as a leader.
“His voice is loud, but he backs it up with how he plays, also. So, you can be a loud voice, but what your actions are allows you to stand up and be that loud voice.”
BARCLAYS CENTER UPGRADES
BSE Global announced plans to enhance Barclays Center with two new premium member club suites as part of the largest renovation in arena history.
Both spaces will feature private dining experiences equipped with elevated food stations and destination bars, according to the release. Membership to both “The Row” and “The Key” will include access to all Nets and New York Liberty games, as well as Barclays Center concerts and events.
Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of the Nets’ season in April and will be completed prior to the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.