Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things to watch for in Game 3 against Boston Celtics

The Bledshow must go on

At long last, Eric Bledsoe finally shed the playoff millstone off his back, at least judging by his performance on Tuesday after his anonymous Game 1 to start the series.

The 29-year-old delivered in the Bucks’ Game 2 victory over the Celtics Tuesday night as he went on to post 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field (3-of-5 from three, 4-of-4 from the foul line), five assists, three rebounds, two blocks and was a +23 in nearly 26-and-a-half minutes of burn.

Bledsoe reverted back to the formula that he regularly employed throughout his remarkable regular season campaign by attacking the rim and deftly putting home athletic finishes in the paint, as well as hitting shots from long range.

Pairing that with terrorizing defense, especially on Celtics All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, who logged the worst playoff showing of his eight-year career, Bledsoe finally gave everyone a showing befitting of what every Bucks fan has seen out of him all year long, only with it coming under the brightest of lights.

With the series now switching over to Boston, there will be plenty of reminders of how his season ended last year from all of the Celtics fans in attendance in TD Bank Garden. Bledsoe shared that sentiment and the pressure facing the Bucks when speaking to ESPN’s Malika Andrews following Game 2:

"“I know what is ahead,” Bledsoe told ESPN. “I know the crowd don’t forget nothing. I have to be way more focused going into Game 3. That’s the most focused I’ll need to be this entire series. That’ll be our toughest game.”"

While Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will carry a heavy burden on his shoulders and Khris Middleton continues to have the Celtics’ number for the second straight postseason, Bledsoe stands as the biggest bellwether for the Bucks in determining the outcome of games and the series as a whole.