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Eric Bledsoe: Three Games In

Well folks, it’s three games into the Eric Bledsoe era for the Milwaukee Bucks, and it’s started with a bang. I stupidly predicted that the Bucks would lose a few games as they figured out what to do with Bledsoe, and yet they’ve won all three games so far. It’s ridiculous to try to evaluate a trade after three games, and it’s especially ridiculous to make a judgment about a player after three games. I do think it’s fair to look for some early patterns to get excited about, though. Here’s why Bledsoe’s first three games should have Bucks fans excited.

Defense

The biggest difference on the court for the Bucks since Bledsoe joined the team has been their defense. In their first 10 games of the season, before Bledsoe joined the team, the Bucks gave up 109 points per game. In the three games they’ve played with Bledsoe, they’ve only given up 93. Sure, those first 10 games included two games against the Cavs, two against the Celtics, and one against the Thunder, but that’s still a big difference. One possible explanation for this difference is that Bledsoe has only committed four fouls in three games. Considering Milwaukee’s issues with giving up points at the free throw line, I think Bledsoe deserves some credit here for the defensive improvement.

Spacing

While the Bucks have stepped it up defensively since Bledsoe joined the team, they’ve been winning despite their offense, not because of it. While they haven’t been scoring many points, though, there is one encouraging development, and it relates to the spacing that Bledsoe brings to the court. With another bona fide scorer on the court for the Bucks, their opponents can’t just focus on Giannis (and to a lesser extent, Khris Middleton). This translates to more open passing lanes for the Bucks, and it has shown.

Before Bledsoe joined the Bucks, they averaged 15 turnovers a game. With him, they’ve averaged 11 turnovers, and in each game they’ve tied or beaten their pre-Bledsoe season low of 13 turnovers. This is likely a result of the spacing that comes with Bledsoe. To be fair, the Bucks have not seen this same expected improvement in assists, and actually set their season low against the Lakers in Bledsoe’s second game. Watching these last three games, though, there have been a lot of slightly mistimed passes and alley oops involving Bledsoe, and it’s hard to imagine the Bucks won’t soon see an uptick in their assist totals as the team gets to know him more.

Fun

Something that can be easy to overlook after a trade is team chemistry. While the Bucks have an extremely talented young core, it doesn’t seem like Giannis (at least not this slightly older, more winning-focused, “no new friends” Giannis), Khris Middleton, or Malcolm Brogdon are telling jokes while they’re out on the floor. This can work just great for some teams, but it doesn’t hurt to have a vet to keep everyone loose. With his explosive play and especially his alley oops, Eric Bledsoe seems to have injected some fun into this team. In fact, just last night I saw Khris Middleton drain a 3 and then smile the biggest smile I’ve ever seen from him.

Bledsoe also seems to have had a relaxing presence on Milwaukee’s fouling. Before Bledsoe, the Bucks only had one game out of ten with fewer than 20 fouls. In the three games with Bledsoe, they’ve tallied under 20 fouls twice, including just 13 fouls in their big win against the Spurs. It’s possible that this is a result of being more relaxed on the court. The only thing better than winning is having fun while you’re doing it, and it seems like the Bucks will be able to count on Bledsoe to help them on both counts this season.

All in all, the Eric Bledsoe trade has so far been as much of a steal as it looked like it would be when the news broke. Next up, the Bucks and Bledsoe take on the (surprisingly) 10-3 Detroit Pistons tomorrow night at 7:00 PM CT. If Bledsoe can keep doing his thing, the Bucks will have a great chance to make it four wins in a row.