Eric Bledsoe is Milwaukee’s third-best player
When the Bucks inked point guard Eric Bledsoe to a four-year, $70 million extension in 2019, it was because they knew they had the leader who would lead their team back to the playoffs. He bought into the organization and they believed in him in a way that the Phoenix Suns and LA Clippers did not.
Their belief in Bledsoe has paid off nicely as the 30-year-old ball hound has proven himself as one of the most reliable defenders at his position while taking steps in his offensive game. Milwaukee is 3.9 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor because of his leadership, motor and high-octane style of play.
He remains highly effective near the rim, hitting 71.7 percent of his shots within three feet of the basket. Though he’s not quite as athletic as he once was, Bledsoe uses his stocky frame to absorb contact and finish in the paint at a rate higher than most of his teammates.
Where it gets especially interesting is from 3-to-10 feet, where he’s more efficient than all but four teammates including Giannis himself. Bledsoe does a nice job of hitting pull-up jumpers in or just outside of the paint with the floor spaced by his teammates.
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As a facilitator, Bledsoe has taken strides since playing under head coach Mike Budenholzer. He ranks in the 85th percentile of pick-and-roll ball-handlers with a 46.6 percent scoring frequency. Since he’s an excellent downhill scorer, Bledsoe uses his scoring threat to blow past his defender for a bucket or dish off to either his roll man or an open shooter. He has six teammates who hit at least 40 percent from 3-point range when he dishes to them.
While Giannis is the primary threat drawing defenders into the paint, Bledsoe sneakily forces their hand as well. He’s become adept at creating plays for others based on his own gravity when attacking the rim and he’s a better player because of it.
Bledsoe’s 18.1 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) ranks third on the team behind only Middleton and Antetokounmpo because of his dynamic two-way effort. When he’s not mucking up plays by getting into ball handler’s airspace, Bledsoe is interrupting passing lanes, battling through screens, or diving for loose balls.
Heart and hustle can’t always be quantified by stats and Bledsoe is a great example of that. If not for his complete effort on both ends of the floor, Milwaukee might not be sitting pretty at the top of the NBA this season.