Eric Bledsoe got his first start last night for the Los Angeles Clippers, the ex-UK guard contributing nine points and three assists in 39 minutes of the Clips’ loss to San Antonio.
Excerpt from Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times:
The Clippers bench was outscored, 32-7, and center DeAndre Jordan, who played well Sunday, was not much of a factor, not taking a shot but picking up five fouls in 14-plus minutes of action. Making his NBA debut was rookie Willie Warren, and rookie Eric Bledsoe made his first start at point guard, faced with the unenviable task of dealing with the Spurs’ Tony Parker.
“He was running all over the place and I was trying to keep up with him,” Bledsoe said, smiling.
But with Baron Davis injured and in coach Vinny Del Negro’s doghouse, it could mean more time for Bledsoe.
The Times’ T.J. Simers asked Del Negro before Monday’s game against the Spurs if Davis was a bad role model.
“No. I don’t think he’s a bad role model,” Del Negro said. “I just think Baron knows he was behind in his conditioning and he’s had to work so hard to get in condition that he put some extra strain on his knee. That causes a lot of problems for everybody, for Baron, for the team, for everyone involved. So he needs to be a leader and a catalyst for this team. By not preparing the right way, it’s hurting himself and more importantly, it’s hurting the group. He knows that.”
Simers: “You basically said yes.”
VDN: “Yeah, he knows that.