Entering Friday, Eric Bledsoe has played 26 games for the Milwaukee Bucks. In that time, he's shown he's a man of many talents.
Shooting? Check. His 46.4 field-goal percentage is the second-highest of his career.
Scoring? Check. He's averaging 18.2 points per game despite not being the first (or often second) option on offense.
Passing? Check. He's at 4.5 assists per game.
Rebounding? Check. He's at 4.1 rebounds per game.
Defense? Check. He's averaging 2.0 steals per game, which ranks third in the NBA and is tied for his career high. Oh, he also has 0.6 blocks per game, not too shabby for a player who stands 6-foot-1. Dating back to the 1976-77 season, only three players who stood 6-1 or shorter have averaged 0.6 blocks per game or better - Bledsoe (this would be his fourth season; he also has the high at 0.7), Mookie Blaylock (twice) and Dee Brown (twice).
Maybe that's one reason Bledsoe has become a fan favorite. Another is he seems to do everything at the right time -- at home in front of the Bucks faithful.
With a game against Toronto on tap Friday, Bledsoe has had at least one steal and made at least one 3-pointer in 12 straight home games, which is the longest such active streak in the NBA (tied with Indiana's Victor Oladipo). Bledsoe failed to do this in his first two home games as a Buck -- he had no 3s against the Lakers on Nov. 11 and no steals vs. the Grizzlies on Nov. 13 -- but has accomplished the feat in every home game since.
Do we hear 13?
Other notes:
-- The Bucks are 11-3 (.786) at home since November, the fourth-best home record in the NBA in that span.
-- Milwaukee has scored 249 points over its last two games. Since the 1998-99 season, the most points the Bucks have scored over a three-game span is 367, from Feb. 7-11, 2009.
-- Giannis Antetokounmpo has led both teams outright in defensive stops (steals + blocks) in 12 games this season. That is the most times by any player.
-- Milwaukee has turned the ball over 20+ times in a game just once all season. That is tied with Boston and Indiana for the fewest such games by any team.
Statistics courtesy STATS and basketball-reference
