Eric Bledsoe: The New Leader Of The Phoenix Suns

What Last Night Taught Us

Last night was the microcosm of Eric Bledsoe’s vast potential. Len and Keef both played severely underrated roles in the big overtime victory, but you’d be kidding yourself if you thought the hero of the game was anyone other than Bledsoe.

Not only did he hound Russell Westbrook — an MVP candidate who’s been damn near averaging a triple-double for the month of February — for 42 unbelievably high-octane minutes, but he matched one of the most unstoppable forces in the league blow for blow on the other end too.

Head coach Jeff Hornacek said it best after the game:

"“He’s had a lot of great games, but in a game we needed, he came out there and played 42 minutes. Sometimes he gets tired, there were a couple of times where I thought maybe he was getting there but then he found some more juice in the tank. To have to guard Westbrook and run around like that and still have that energy and still score, it was big.”"

Still not convinced this was an unspeakably epic clash of the mini-sized titans? According Elias Sports Bureau, it was the third time in NBA history that opposing players recorded at least 28 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in the same game…and the other two times happened 44 years ago with guys named Bob Pettit, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West.

Westbrook finished with a gaudy triple-double stat line of 39 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, but it took him 38 shots to get there. Thanks to Bledsoe’s constant pressure, most of Westbrook’s shots were contested and he finished a meager 12-for-38 from the floor (1-for-10 from three-point range).

Bledsoe ended up with 28 points, a career-high 13 rebounds, nine assists and a career-high four blocks. He didn’t get his third triple-double of the season, but he got the win and managed to do it playing the last 5:20 of regulation with five fouls…which doesn’t include the five-minute overtime.

He also joined seven Hall of Famers or future Hall of Famers (LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Robert Parish, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon, per Basketball-Reference.com) in the category of players to record at least 28 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and four blocks in a game — and was the only guard to do so.

Westbrook carried his team down the stretch, but Bledsoe helped carry the Suns throughout the entire game. He went 11-for-16 from the floor and 2-for-3 from three-point range. He wasn’t perfect; he missed four of his eight free throws and also committed five turnovers. But he provided almost everything the Suns could’ve asked for in a huge game with playoff implications.

Next: Qualities Of A Leader