Milwaukee Bucks veteran Eric Bledsoe recently reflected on his performance in last season's first round Playoffs war against the Boston Celtics. The 29-year-old was not afraid to admit that he had a sub-par series, and explained how he has used this as a motivation to make himself a better player.
“It was bad,” Bledsoe said, via Andrew Sharp of Sports Illustrated. “I didn't play the way I wanted to play. But at the same time, I asked for that [playoff] situation. That was my first time in a long while being in that situation. So for me, to see what level I need to be at, that was a great experience for me. I can either hide from it or embrace it and take the next step. If I were to go in today, it definitely makes me hungrier.”
Bledsoe joined the Bucks at the start of last season after reportedly forcing his way out of the Phoenix Suns. He instantly made an impact for his new team, and established himself as one of the key pieces of a Bucks side that was on the rise.
However, they would ultimately fall short against the surging Celtics in a seven-game Playoffs series that pitted two of the most promising sides in the Eastern Conference. For his part, Bledsoe averaged a rather pedestrian 13.6 points (on 44.0 percent shooting), 1.0 three-pointers, 3.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 2.1 turnovers in 32.1 minutes throughout the series.
While not exactly terrible, his numbers took a considerable dip compared to his season average, as the Celtics were able to keep him in check for majority of the series.
Bledsoe is dwelling on his past the right way — by not letting it pull him down, but instead, using it to fuel his desire to bring out the best in himself.
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