Milwaukee welcomes Eric Bledsoe to Bucks with a win
Point guard Eric Bledsoe made his first appearance in a Bucks jersey after being traded to Milwaukee this Tuesday. The former Suns star only played 28 minutes, but made the most of his time on court.
While Bledsoe battled with a hot and cold shooting stroke in his Bucks debut, he showcased his coveted playmaking ability with several well placed dimes, including an off the glass alley-oop to his new teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo. The highflying guard was immediately inserted into the staring lineup and displayed some encouraging chemistry with their incumbent superstar on their way to a 94-87 defeat of the San Antonio Spurs.
The addition of Bledsoe fills the void of a starting caliber floor general and provides Milwaukee with a solid second option while Antetokoumpo’s sidekick Jabari Parker remains sidelined with a torn ACL. Bledsoe’s ability to put the ball in the basket relieves three and D specialist Khris Middleton of carrying such a heavy scoring load when Giannis sits and enables him to focus more of his energy on locking down defensive assignments. In addition, by relegating reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon to the second unit, he gives Milwaukee a steady bench presence to rely on.
The Bucks instantly improved by gaining the services of Eric Bledsoe, and all they had to give up in return was a first round pick and center Greg Monroe, who was never an ideal fit in Milwaukee to begin with. He’s never been an Allstar, but then again, he’s never played on a winning team that could justify his gaudy numbers alone as reason enough to warrant a selection. This year, playing alongside a bonafide superstar like Giannis Antetokonmpo, a winning record and an Eastern Conference Allstar nomination isn’t out of the question.
Milwaukee came away with the heist of the year in the aftermath of their transaction with Phoenix, but the Bucks aren’t finished making moves up the power ladder. It’s easy to forget since he’s yet to play in a game this season, but Jabari Parker was seriously vying for his first Allstar Game appearance last year before a season ending injury cut his year short. His projected return date line closely with this year’s Allstar Weekend, and if they’re lucky, maybe sooner.
If Parker returns to the lineup at full strength and if sophomore center Thon Maker can rediscover the rookie year magic that had scouts touting him as the second coming of Giannis, Milwaukee may just have the talent to sweep through the East for a chance to unseat the Conference Champion Cleveland Cavalier. Whether those moments come to fruition is up to the Bucks. They hold the blueprint to put together something special, now it’s time to get building.
