As a television cameraman turned off the lights in the room of Eric Bledsoe, a fellow guard shouted advice to the Los Angeles Clippers rookie point. "You'll have to stop using the rugby shirts," power forward Blake Griffin said, mocking Bledsoe loose clothing in his thin, 6-1 frame. "You're a star now." That was after the second start of Bledsoe and the team's only victory in 12 games entering Thursday, the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 3. Bledsoe is still starting, a bright spot for the Clippers and one of several players who have a surprising impact on the teams. Due to injuries to starting guard Baron Davis and Randy Foye key reserve, Bledsoe had started December 9 games, averaging 9.9 points, 5.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds and shot 46.5%. "I'm changing now," says Bledsoe, laughing at his attire. "I'm using different neck shirts. … I had to go shopping." He played only six minutes and scored a point in the first two games. Then Davis was sidelined by a cyst behind his left knee. "I really did not expect (home). … I thought I would come alone and learn," says Bledsoe. "I was being aggressive before. I'm playing and not to think too much. I'm doing a lot of good decisions in the public hearing." Clippers guard Eric Gordon welcomes the change of pace that Bledsoe delivery. "We are more rudimentary.
We see it in the ball another quick point guard, is how we have to go after him, too," says Gordon. Davis, in his 12th season, has been a mentor. "One of the main types really talk," Bledsoe, 20, said. "He'll try to make me become the largest base was." Other players who have given more than expected: Sonny Weems: The third-year forward has started four games for the Toronto Raptors, but it is the second-leading scorer (14.7 points average compared to 7.5 last season). He's shooting 53.1% from the field and 42.9% from three-point line. Jason Smith: The third year, 7-foot forward-center for the Hornets in New Orleans was playing a personal record of 19.6 minutes per game entering play Thursday as the first entry in the bank. Smith, who recovered from a major knee injury that cost him the entire 2008-09 season with the Philadelphia 76ers, was averaging 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds. Gary Forbes: The 6-7 forward for the Denver Nuggets, a rookie who spent last season playing in Israel, has beaten veteran of JR Smith in the rotation coach George Karl. A 51.9% shooter, Forbes was averaging 8.5 points and three rebounds in 16 minutes after coming on Thursday. He had 19 points and nine rebounds in Tuesday's win against New York Knicks. Landry Fields: 6.7 The guard-forward with the Knicks, a second-round pick, has started every game. Campos had three double-doubles, including 21 points and 17 rebounds in Tuesday's loss to the Nuggets. Austin Daye: The second-year forward for the Detroit Pistons has started every game, playing more of a lottery pick Greg Monroe. Daye averaged 9.7 points and 4.4 rebounds are almost twice his rookie production.
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