Eric Bledsoe must step up amid Milwaukee Bucks injury crisis, says Mike Tuck
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Wednesday 27 March 2019 05:00, UK
Point guard Eric Bledsoe must step up during the Milwaukee Bucks' injury crisis if the Eastern Conference leaders are to remain a contender heading into the playoffs, according to Mike Tuck.
Milwaukee are without guard Malcolm Brogdon and forwards Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol, while Giannis Antetekounmpo has only just returned from a sprained right ankle.
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The Bucks hold the NBA's best record at 55-19 with just eight games remaining and look sure to hold on to the top seeding in the East, but it remains to be seen how they'll cope beyond that with a possibly depleted squad.
"He's an extremely physical guard and when he gets momentum going behind him there's no stopping him," Tuck said of Bledsoe.
"He's just a tough, tough player. Very athletic and he can knock it down from long range, a very exciting player to watch.
"When they have guys that are out injured like they're going through right now, they're going to need guys like him and Middleton to step up and fill that void."
Earlier in March Bledsoe signed a four-year $70m contract extension with the Bucks, which represented an important move for a franchise with few key players signed to long-term deals.
With the most important member of the roster, Antetokounmpo, contracted until the summer of 2021, the guarantee of having him and Bledsoe paired until then promises a strong base for the Bucks to build around.
Bledsoe is averaging a career-high mark in field goal percentage this season and Tuck believes the new contract should only enhance the 29-year-old's contributions.
"Not even for the team but for him, it gives him a little bit of insurance," Tuck told Sky Sports' live NBA studio show.
"He knows this is going to be his home, the team knows that they're going to have him here, so it allows him to commit to the team and go all out for the team as he knows he has that job security."
