Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 124-122 win over Los Angeles Lakers
By Bob Polglaze
Welcome to the Bledshow
Eric Bledsoe had perhaps his most productive game with the Bucks, leading the team in scoring with 39 points. In just 34 minutes (including all five minutes in overtime), the point guard went 15-of-24 from the field, which included a surprising 7-of-12 from three.
Bledsoe also added six assists, three rebounds, and four steals to complement his season-high scoring effort.
His impact was most noticeable at the start of overtime, where he showed no signs of slowing down on the second night of a back-to-back. Bledsoe used his speed both in transition and in the half court in the opening minutes, getting to the rim seemingly at will.
The guard had three layups and a three-pointer in the first two minutes of the extra period, a personal 9-0 run that proved to be too much for the Lakers to overcome. Bledsoe also added two late free throws that put the game out of reach for Los Angeles with a few seconds left.
Eric Bledsoe when asked about feeding the hot hand late vs finding the star player:
— Matt Velazquez (@Matt_Velazquez) March 31, 2018
“Like I said, we’ve got a lot of talented players on the team. Some nights Khris got it going, some nights Giannis got it going...."
Middleton interrupts: “Tonight was the Bledshow though!”
After missing an open three-point attempt in the closing seconds of the fourth, it was good to see the Kentucky product continue his stellar night with some clutch buckets in overtime.
Another impressive aspect of Friday’s game was Bledsoe’s activity on the defensive end. While his effort can wane in and out during games, he was engaged on this occasion, using that defensive effort to help the Bucks get out in transition in several instances. This effort will be key for the Bucks down the stretch, as his defense at the point of attack can help the Bucks’ team defense, particularly in the playoffs.