Cameron Johnson wasn’t a fan of being on the receiving end of Mikal Bridges’ signature three-point celebration.
Cameron Johnson got his first experience of playing against Mikal Bridges this weekend. The former Suns and Nets stars had been teammates their entire careers till this summer. But with Bridges now joining the Knicks, the two stars play on rival teams.
Both Johnson and Bridges formed a bond with each other during their time in Phoenix. And when the Suns pulled off a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant, they both found themselves traded to the Nets.
Bridges’ talents felt like they were being wasted on a mediocre Nets team, which is why his trade to the Knicks made so much sense. But it did cause his partnership with Johnson to end unceremoniously.
Cameron Johnson looks back on facing Bridges at MSG
Johnson did have a decent game, scoring 22 points, along with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. But the Knicks won the game quite handily.
Mikal Bridges put on a decent outing, scoring 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist. While Mikal didn’t shoot well from deep, he did catch Johnson off guard.
Bridges shot 3-10 from beyond the arc, including a three over Johnson. After making the shot, he hit his signature celebration on Johnson.
Talking after the game, Cameron Johnson admitted to being annoyed about the celebration. Johnson has seen Bridges hit that celebration many times but hasn’t been on the receiving end until now.
“It’s annoying. It’s very annoying.”
One has to imagine Johnson was being slightly facetious. Given the strong friendship he has with Bridges, it is unlikely Johnson took legitimate offense to the gesture.
Mikal Bridges was happy playing against Johnson
Winning and losing really can make a difference in a player’s mood. This is why Mikal Bridges’ post-game comments starkly contrasted with Johnson’s.
Bridges spoke candidly about playing against his former teammate, and how they both approached the game. Despite things being tense on the court, it’s all love between Bridges and Cameron Johnson, with the former praising the latter and sharing his happiness for him.
“It was good, man. He was playing really well. A little smack talk, back and forth is funny. We were calling each other, we know each other’s moves.”
“Sometimes I’m not going to rotate off of him because I don’t want to get a three… I think he was frustrated by it. It’s great to see him all the time. Just happy for Cam.”
Despite the intense rivalry between the Knicks and the Nets, ‘The Twins’ as they used to be known are still good friends. This friendship will be set aside the next time the Knicks play the Nets in Brooklyn.
But for now, Bridges will focus on championship aspirations with the Knicks. Whereas Johnson will play out the rest of what is supposed to be a losing year for the Nets.
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