Times Square in New York City is the place to be to celebrate the end and beginning of a new year. If you wanted to see one of the greatest performances of the season that same day, all you had to do was travel down to Brooklyn and watch the LA Clippers defeat Kevin Durant‘s Nets, led by Eric Bledsoe.
Down 11 players, including five starters, and their head coach in Tyronn Lue, the Clippers defeated the Nets 120-116 on the second night of a New Year's back-to-back set. Bledsoe finished with an all-around line of 27 points, three rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks.
It was the type of performance that brought flashbacks to Bledsoe's previous days with the Clippers, when the younger and more explosive guard was nicknamed ‘Mini LeBron' by then-teammate Jamal Crawford.
“I guess it’s a cool nickname,” Eric Bledsoe said following a 2012 win over LeBron James' Miami Heat, via ESPN. “[LeBron] actually called me that when we left the court. He did. He said, ‘This is Baby LeBron.’”
For the second time in the last three games, Bledsoe scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to lead his Clippers to a road win. The first time was in Boston on Wednesday night, and the second came Sunday against Brooklyn. The 12th year guard has found a good rhythm the last few weeks, and it's come at a time when the Clippers have needed him most.
In the last five games he's started for the Clippers, Bledsoe is averaging 19.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the field, 50 percent from three, and 83.3 percent from the free throw line. LA has won three of the five games he's started.
Eric Bledsoe in his last 5 games as a starter (Clippers are 3-2):
19.2 points
3.8 rebounds
6.2 assists
2.2 steals49.3% FG
50% 3PT
83.3% FT pic.twitter.com/QLtpZPUP0M— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 2, 2022
The team has had at least one member enter health and safety protocols following each of their last seven games. Eric Bledsoe is hoping that he can continue his good rhythm as guys start to come back.
“We still gotta implement some pieces that we’re missing, so that’s kinda forcing me and Reg to look to be more aggressive,” Bledsoe said. “We still got PG out, Marcus out, so we just gotta figure it out when those guys come back. So that’s kind of playing a big factor and like you said, I’m having the ball in my hands a lot more than I was so that plays a big factor to it.”
"It's been happening to us all year. Zu went down. Marcus went down earlier, Reg. It's been happening to us all season. It's just giving other guys opportunities to show they can help us moving forward."
Eric Bledsoe on winning despite missing so many players. #Clippers pic.twitter.com/M9R0seyzHO
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 2, 2022
How did the Clippers, who had $121.5 million in salary on the sidelines Sunday, defeat a team led by Kevin Durant and James Harden?
“I mean, it’s basketball,” Bledsoe said. “We love to play this game, we love to go out there and compete. Everybody wanna compete at a high level. Especially guys that’s getting an opportunity to prove that they belong in this league like Wenyen, James, Justise, Xavier. The list goes on. They did a great job of coming in and fighting and keeping the lead sustainable.
“We fought. We fought. Next man up mentality and I think everybody did a great job playing together. They got a great team over there. I think Kevin just got back, so they’re thing to figure it out. It’s a perfect game where they’re trying to figure it out, we could play with energy, pace, and pride.”
Kevin Durant wasn't happy with his teams performance, going off on them for lacking the right energy and mindset coming into it.
“We relaxed too much,” Durant explained. “We get up 10, then miss a layup or turn the ball over and they get a fast break. Give up a three, straight line drive. Like coach said, we didn't deserve to win this game. We came in here with a fucked up attitude to start, thinking we was just gonna walk into a W.”
"We didn't deserve to win this game. We came in here with a fucked up attitude to start, thinking we was just gonna walk into a W."
Kevin Durant on loss to shorthanded Clippers. pic.twitter.com/le2zGhrYnL
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 2, 2022
The Clippers are probably happy they won't have to see the Nets again, but they do face a tough road ahead (quite literally). They'll face playoff teams in each of their next five games, and that's before they go out on an eight game, 14-day road trip to close out the month.
Eric Bledsoe can only help so much. The Clippers need to get healthy, and they need to do it quickly if they're to maintain their pace in in the ever-competitive Western Conference.
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