Eric Bledsoe was off to a strong start to his first season with the Phoenix Suns, scoring as many believed he was capable of while playing starter’s minutes for a team that’s surprised with a 7-6 record through its first 13 games.
The past four games, however, Bledsoe has been sidelined to due a bruised shin injury that will also keep him out of Monday night’s game in Miami against the Heat.
For a multitude of good reasons, there’s no hurry for Bledsoe to come back until he’s feeling 100 percent.
From Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic:As he has with previous games, Bledsoe took to the court before [Sunday’s] game just to see if he could go through warm-ups. It was a short visit before he returned to the locker room for treatment. Bledsoe watched the first half from the Suns bench but was in the training room for treatment during the second half.
“It wouldn’t budge,” Bledsoe said. “I was trying. I guess it just needs more rest.
“Don’t nobody know your body like you know it. I know that if I get out there and try to play, there’s a good chance that I’m going to hurt my team more than not. It’s just strained, that’s what it feels like. There are some days you just have to fall back off of it when you’re trying to come back from an injury. This is one of those days.”
The Suns are obviously going to try to win as much as possible, but they’re also developing young talent at the same time. With Bledsoe sidelined for Phoenix’s win in Orlando, Gerald Green got the start, and Ish Smith and Archie Goodwin got some decent minutes in off the bench.
The low expectations placed on this Suns season along with Bledsoe’s potential future value to the franchise make it an easy decision to hold him out if he’s feeling even slightly limited by this injury which has lingered now for five straight games.
