Phoenix Suns point guard Goran Dragic returned for training camp after partaking in the 2013 FIBA European Championships in Slovenia. Dragic summed up the style of basketball that could be expected from his pairing with athletic and fleet-footed guard Eric Bledsoe in two words.
“Really fast,” said Dragic after he took to the court with Bledsoe in a recent training camp session. “Up and down the court. I’m not going to be the first one now. We’re going to have a lot more guys. We’re just going to try to push the tempo and score easy baskets.”
One would think that two point guards in the backcourt might confound teammates, particularly when it comes to calling plays. However, the 6-foot-1 Bledsoe was primarily a shooting guard in his days at the University of Kentucky, sharing the backcourt with then-teammate John Wall.
Bledsoe earned his stripes as a backup point guard with the Los Angeles Clippers, particularly when it came to giving All-Star Chris Paul a breather. Bledsoe was also used in conjunction with Paul when smaller lineups were utilized for up-tempo offensive schemes.
The Suns acquired Bledsoe in a three-team trade that involved the Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite Suns training camp just getting underway, the newly-acquired Bledsoe already feels the backcourt chemistry is apparent with Dragic.
“Goran is a great competitor and I just want to get a chance to go out there and play with him,” said Bledsoe. “I can’t wait to get started. You can tell when we go through drills that I think it’s going to be real easy.”
During the 2012-13 season, the Suns were in the bottom 10 of the NBA in offensive production at 95.2 points per game. Quick-hitting buckets from a Dragic-Bledsoe duo could help solve that issue.
